137 MISSOURI (The) "Bushwhacker" (Civil War).
Autobiography of Sarnuel S. Hildebrand, the
Renowned Missouri "Bushwhacker" and Un
conquerable Rob Roy of America ; being his com
plete confession recently made to the writers and
carefully compiled. By J. W. Evans and Dr.
Q. W. Keith, of St. Francois Co., Mo.; together
with all the facts connected with his early his
tory . 12mo, with eight woodcut illustrations,
Jefferson City, Mo., 1870, pp. 312 4Htt>-
* An extremely rare Missouri and Civil War
item . First issue, a record of bloody deeds,
dare-devil exploits and thrilling adventures min
utely and accurately told ; includes the night
historv of this audacious bandit.
'
PROOF OF AUTHENTICITY.
This is to certify that I, the undersigned, am personally ac
quainted with Samuel S. Hildebrand (better known as "Sam
I-Iildebrand, the Missouri Bushwhacker," etc.,) and have known
him from boyhood ; that during' the wTar, and on several occa
sions since its termination, he promised to give me a full and
complete history of his whole war record ; that on the night of
January 28th, 1870, he canie to my house at Big River Mills, in
St. Francois county, Missouri, in company with Charles Burks,
and gave his consent that I and Charles Burks, in conjunction,
might have his confession whenever we were prepared to meet
him at a certain place for that purpose ; that in the latter part
of March, 1870, in the presence of Sam Hildebrand alone, I did
write out his confession as he gave it to me, then and there,
•until the same was completed ; and that afterwards James W.
Evans and myself, from the material I thus obtained, compiled
and completed the said confession, which is now presented to the
public as his Autobiography.
A. WENDELL KEITH, M. D.
3
STATE OF MISSOURI,
COUNTY OF STE. GENEVIEVE.
On this, 14th day of June, 1870, before me, Henry Herter, a
Notary Public within and for said county, personally Appeared
W. II. Couzens, J. N. Burks and G. W. Murphy of the above
county and State, and on being duly sworn they stated that they
w.ere well acquainted with Charles Burks of the aforesaid county,
and A. Wendell Keith, M. D., of St. Francois county, Missouri,
.and to their certain knowledge the facts set forth in the foregoing
1
PKOOF OF AUTHENTIC, TY.
certificate are true and correct, and that Samuel S. Hildebrand
also acknowledged to them afterwards that he had made to them
his complete confession.
WM. H. COUZENS, MAJOR C. S. A.,
J. N. BURKS,
G, W. MURPHY.
Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 14th day of June,
1870.
HENRY HERTER,
Notary Public.
The Statement made by A. Wendell Keith, M. D., is entitled
to credit from the fact of his well-known veracity and standing
in society.
HON. ELLIS G. EVANS,
Senator, Rolla District.
HON. E. C. SEBASTIAN,
Representative, St. Francois comity.
HON. MILTON P. CAYCE,
Farmington, Missouri.
FRANKLIN MURPHY,
Sheriff St. Francois county.
WILLIAM R. TAYLOR,
Clerk St. Francois county.
HON. JOSEPH BOGY,
Representative Ste. Genevieve county.
CHARLES ROZIER,
Clerk Ste. Genevieve county.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE, JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., \
June 22, 1870. /
I hereby certify that the persons whose official signatures
appear above have been commissioned for the offices indicated ;
and my personal acquaintance with Dr. Keith, Honorables Evans,
Sebastian, Cayce, Bogy and Sheriff Murphy is such that I say
without hesitation.their statements are entitled to full faith and
credit. *
J. W. McCLURG,
Governor of Missouri.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OF
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND,
it
THE RENOWNED
MISSOURI "BUSHWHACKER"
AND UNCONQUERABLE
ROBROYOF AMERICA;
BEING
HIS COMPLETE CONFESSION
RECENTLY MADE TO THE WRITERS, AND CAREFULLY COMPILED
BY JAMES W. EVANS AND A. WENDELL KEITH, M. D.,
OF ST. FRANCOIS COUNTY, MO.;
TOGETHER
WITH ALL THE FACTS CONNECTED WITH HIS
EARLY HISTORY.
JEFFERSON CITY, MO.:
STATE TIMES BOOK AND JOB PRINTING HOUSE,
MADISON STREET.
1870.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
SAM HILDEBRAND DRIVEN FROM HOME Frontispiece.
FRANK HILDEBRAND HUNG BY THE MOB 45
SAM HILDEBRAND KILLING MC!LVAINE 61
THE MURDER OF WASH. HILDEBRAND AND LANDUSKY 69
STAMPEDE OF FEDERAL SOLDIERS 139
SAM HILDEBRAND BETRAYED BY COOTS 179
SAM HILDEBRAND'S LAST BATTLE 297
Coi. BOWEN CAPTURES HILDEBRAND'S CAVE..., .. 303
Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1870, by
JAMES W. EVANS and A. WENDELL KEITH, M. D., in the Clerk's
Office of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern
District of Missouri.
E >t
l-U*
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Introduction. — Yankee fiction. — Reasons for making a full con
fession 25
CHAPTER II.
Early history of the Hildebrand family.— Their settlement in St.
Francois comity, Mo. — Sam Hildebrand born. — Troublesome
neighbors. — Union sentiments 29
CHAPTER III.
Determination to take no part in the war. — Mr. Ringer killed by
Rebels. — The cunning device of Allen Roan. — Vigilance
Committee organized. — The baseness of Mobocracy. — At
tacked by the mob. — Escape to Flat "Woods 35
CHAPTER IV.
Mcllvaine's Vigilance mob. — Treachery of Castleman. — Frank
Hildebrand hung by the mob. — Organization of the mob into
a Militia company 42
CHAPTER V.
His house at Flat Woods attacked by eighty soldiers. — Miracu
lous escape. — Capt. Bolin. — Flight to Green county, Arkan
sas 48
CHAPTER VI.
interview with Gen. Jeff Thompson. — Receives a Major's Com
mission. — Interview with Capt. Bolin.— Joins the Bush
whacking Department 54
CHAPTER VH.
First trip to Missouri. — Killed George Cornecious for reporting
him. — Killed Firman Mcllvaine, captain of the mob. — At
tempt to kill McGahan and House. — Return to Arkansas. 58
CHAPTER VHI.
Vigilance mob drives his mother from home. — Three companies
of troops sent to Big river. — Capt. Flanche murders Wash
ington Hildebrand and Landusky. — Capt. Esroger murders
John Roan. — Capt. Adolph burns the Hildebrand homestead
and murders Henry Hildebrand ..£... 66
CHAPTER IX.
Trip with Burlap and Cato. — Killed a spy near Bloomfield. —
Visits his mother on Dry Creek. — Interview with his uncle.
— Sees the burning of the homestead at a distance 75
CHAPTER X.
Trip with two men. — Killed Stokes for informing on him. — Se
creted in a cave on Big river. — Vows of vengeance. — Watched
for McGahan. — Tom Haile pleads for Franklin Murphy. —
Tongue-lashed and whipped out by. a woman 84
M669015
8 CONTENTS.
•CHAPTER XL
Trip to Missouri with three men. — Fight near Fredericktown. —
Killed four soldiers. — Went to their camp and stole four horses.
—Flight toward the South.— Robbed " Old Crusty " 01
' CHAPTER XII.
Trip with three men. — Captured a spy and shot him. — Shot Mr.
Scaggs. — Charged a Federal camp at night and killed nine
men".— Came near shooting James Craig. — Robbed Bean's
store and returned to Arkansas 96
CHAPTER XHI.
The Militia mob robs the Hildebrand estate. — Trip to Missouri
with ten men. — Attacks a government train with an escort of
twenty men. — Killed two and put the others to flight 102
CHAPTER XIV.
Federal cruelty. — A defense of Bushwhacking. — Trip with Capt..
Bolin and nine men. — Fight at West Prairie.— Started with
two men to St. Francois county. — Killed a Federal soldier. —
Killed Addison Cunningham. — Capt. Walker kills Capt.
Barnes, and Hildebrand kills Capt. Walker 10G
CHAPTER XV.
Started alone to Missouri. — Rode off a bluff and killed his horse.
— Fell in with twenty-live Rebels under Lieut. Childs. —
Went with them.— Attacked 150 Federals at Bellinger's Mill.
Henry Resingor killed. — William Cato. — Went back to Fred
ericktown. — Killed one man. — Robbed Abright's store... 114
CHAPTER XVI.
Started to Bloomfield with three men. — Fi^ht at St. Francis river.
— Goes from there alone. — Meets his wife and family, who had
been ordered oft' from Bloomfield. — Capture and release of
Mrs. Hildebrand. — Fight in Stoddard county. — Arrival in
Arkansas 121
CHAPTER XVH.
Put in a crop. — Took another trip to Missouri with six men. —
Surrounded in a tobacco barn. — Killed two men in making his
escape. — Killed Wammack for informing on him. — Captured
some Federals and released them on certain conditions. —
Went to Big River Mills. — Robbed Highley's and Bean's
stores 128
% CHAPTER XVHI.
Selected seven men and went to Negro Wool Swamp. — Attacked
fifteen Federals — A running fight. — Killed three men. —
Killed Mr. Crane. — Betrayed by a Dutchman, and surrounded
in a house by Federals.— Escaped, killed eight Federals, re
captured #ie horses, and hung the Dutchman 136
CHAPTER XIX.
Went with eight men. — Attacked a Federal camp near Bellinger's
Mill.— Got defeated. — Men. returned to Arkansas. — Went
alone to St. Francois county. — Watched for R. M. Cole. —
Killed Capt. Hicks 147
CHAPTER XX.
Trip to Hamburg with fifteen men. — Hung a Dutchman and shot
another. — Attacked some- Federals in Hamburg but got glo-
CONTENTS.
riously whipped. — Retreated to Coon Jsland. — Killed Oiler at
Flat Woods.— Robbed Bean's store at irondale..: 153
CHAPTER XXI.
Started with six men on a trip to Springfield, Missouri. — "De
ceived by a Federal spV in the Irish Wilderness — Captured
through mistake by Rebels. — Routed on Panther creek. —
Returned home on foot 159
CHAPTER XXII.
Started with four men. — Surrounded in a thicket near Frederick-
town. — Escaped with the loss of three horses. — Stole horses
from the Federals at night. — Killed two soldiers. — Suffered
from hunger. — Killed Fowler. — Took a horse from G. W.
Murphy. — Went to Mingo Swamp. — Killed Coots for betray
ing him. — Killed a Federal and lost two men 1G8
CHAPTER XXIII.
Went to Mingo Swamp with ten men. — Went to Castor creek. —
Attacked two companies of Federals under Capt. Cawhorn
and Capt. Rhoder. — Bushwhacked them seven nights. —
Went with Capt. Reed's men. — Attacked Capt. Leepcr's
company. — Killed fourteen, captured forty horses, forty-four
guns, sixty pistols, and everything else they had 182
CHAPTER XXIV.
Took a trip with fifteen men. — Captured a squad of Federals. —
Reception of " Uncle Bill." — Hung all the prisoners. — Cap
tured live more and hung one 187
CHAPTER XXV.
Put in a crop. — Started to Missouri with nine men. — Killed a sol
dier near Dallas. — Went to St. Francois county and watched
for Walls and Baker. — Watched near Big River Mills for Mc-
Gahan. — Narrow escape of William Sharp. — Robbed Burges,
Hughes and Kelley of their horses. — Robbed Abright's store.
— Captured some Federals on White Water 195
CHAPTER XXVI.
Started to St. Francois county, Missouri, with eight men. — Hung
Vogus and Zinimer. — Hung George Hart. — Robbed Lepp's
store. — Concealed in Pike Run hills. — Started back. — Hung
Mr. Mett's negro, "Old Isaac." — Hung another negro.—.
Took two deserters back and hung them 205
CHAPTER XXVII.
Started with nine men to St. Francois county. — Stopped in Pike
Run hills.— Robbed the store of Christopher Lepp. — llimg
Mr. Kinder's negro. — Attacked by Federals. — Killed two men
and lost one. — Shot two soldiers on a furlough. — Enters a
mysterious camp .",.,. 212
CHAPTER XXVIH.
3apt. John and a company of Federals destroy the Bushwhack
ers' Headquarters in Green county, Arkansas.— He is bush
whacked, routed and killed.— Raid into Washington county
with fourteen men.— Attacked by twenty Federals.— Killed
the man who piloted Capt. John 219
10 CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXIX.
Took a raid into Missouri with four men. — Killed a Federal. —
Killed two of Capt. Milks' men. — Started toDeSoto. — Routed
by the Federals. — Adventure with a German. — Killed three
Federals on Black river 228
CHAPTER XXX.
Commanded the advance guard on Price's raid. — The Federals
burn Doniphan. — Routed the Federals completely. — Cap
tured several at Patterson. — Killed Abright at Farmington.
— Left Price's army. — Killed four Federals. — Major Mont
gomery storms Big River Mills. — Xarrow escape from cap
ture 237
CHAPTER XXXI.
Selected three men and went to Missouri to avenge the death of
Rev. William Polk. — Got ammunition in Fredericktown. —
Killed the German who informed on Polk. — Return to Ar
kansas 244
CHAPTER XXXH.
Started with eight men on a trip to Arkansas river. — Hung a
"Scallawag" on White river. — Went into Conway county. —
Treachery of a negro on Point Remove. — "Foot-burning"
atrocities. — Started back and hung a renegade 250
CHAPTER. XXXIII.
Gloomy prospects for the South. — Takes a trip to Missouri with
four men. — Saved from capture by a woman. — Visits his
mother on Big river. — Robs the store of J. V. Tyler at Big
River Mills— Escapes to Arkansas ". 257
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Started to Missouri with three men. — Surrounded at night near
Fredericktown. — Narrow escape by a cunning device. — Re
tired to Simms' Mountain. — Swapped horses with Robert
Hill, and captured some more. — Killed Free Jim and kid
napped a negro boy 264
CHAPTER XXXV.
Trip to Missouri with four men. — Attempt to rob Taylor's store.
— Fight with Lieut. Brown and his soldiers. — Killed Miller
and Johnson at Flat Woods. — Return home from his last
raid. — The war is pronounced to be at an end. — Reflections
on the termination of the war. — Mrs. Hildebrand's advice. —
The parole at Jacksonport 275
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Imprisoned in Jacksonport jail. — Mrs. Hildebrand returns to
Missouri. — Escape from prison. — Final settlement in Ste.
Genevieve county.— St. Louis detectives make their first trip.
— The Governor's reward. — Wounded by Peterson. — Re
moved to his uncle's. — Fight at John Williams'. — Kills James
McLaine. — Hides in a cave 286
CHAPTER XXXVH.
Military operations for his capture. — Col. Bowen captures the
Cave. — Progress of the campaign. — Advent of Governor
McClurg. — The Militia called put.— Don Quixote affair at the
Brick Church. — The campaign ended. — Mrs. Hildebrand
escapes to Illinois. — "Sam" leaves Missouri. — His final pro
clamation 300
PREFACE.
The public having been grossly imposed upon by
several spurious productions purporting to be the
" Life of Sam Hildebrand," we have no apology to
offer for presenting the reader with his authentic
narrative.
His confession was faithfully written down from
his own lips, as the foregoing certificates abundantly
prove.
From this copious manuscript we have prepared
his autobiography for the press, with a scrupulous
care to give it literally, so far as the arbitrary rules
of language would permit. Sam Hildebrand and
the authors of this work were raised up from boy
hood together, in the same neighborhood, and we
are confident that no material facts have been sup
pressed by Hildebrand in his confession.
The whole narrative is given to the reader with
out any effort upon our part either to justify or con
demn his acts. Our design was to give the genuine
autobiography of Sam Hildebrand; this we have
done.
The book, as a record of bloody deeds, dare-devil
exploits and thrilling adventures, will have no rival
jn the catalogue of wonders ; for it at once unfolds,
n
12 PREFACE.
with minute accuracy, the exploits of Hildebrand,
of which one-half had never yet been told. With
out this record the world would forever remain in
ignorance of the night history of his astounding
audacity.
We here tender our thanks to" those of our friends
who have kindly assisted us in this work, prominent
among whom is Miss Hilda F. Sharp, of Jefferson
City, Mo., who furnished us with those beautiful pen
cil sketches from which our engravings were made.
JAMES W. EYANS,
A. WENDELL KEITH, M. D.
BIG EIVER MILLS, Mo., June, 1870.
INTRODUCTION.
'LEE OKIGIX AND HISTORY OP THE HILDE
BRAND FAMILY.
Before proceeding with the Autobiography of Sam
uel S. Hildebrand, we would call the attention of the
reader to the fact, that since notoriety has been thrust
upon the subject of these memoirs, public attention has
been pointed to the fact, that in German history, the
Hildebrands occupy a very prominent position.
The authors of this work, by a diligent research into
ancient German literature, have been able to trace the
origin' and history of the Hildebrand family, with tol
erable accuracy, to the beginning of the ninth century.
The name Hildebrand or Hildebrandt is as old as the
German language. Hilde, in ancient German, signified
a " Hero," and brand, a "blaze or flame." It is thought
by some writers that the name doubtless signified a
"flaming hero/'
13
14 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
Whether this is the case or not, it matters but little,
as the fact remains clearly defined that the first man of
that name known to history was a hero in every sense
of the word. The " Ileldenbuch " or Book of Heroes,
in its original form, dates back to the eighth century.
It is a beautiful collection of poems relative to Dietrich
or Theodoric. It was written down from memory by
the Hessian monks on the outer pages of an old Latin
manuscript, and was first published by Eccard in prose,
but it was afterwards discovered that the songs were
originally in rhyme.
The poem treats of the expulsion of Dietrich of Vaum
out of his dominions by Ermenrick, his escape to Attila
and his return after an adventurous exile of thirty
years. Hildebrand (the old Dietrich) encounters his
son, whom he left at home in his flight, in a terrible
encounter without knowing who he was. We will pre
sent the reader with Das Ilildebrandslied (The song of
Hildebrand), not on account of any literary merit it
may possess, but because of its great antiquity and its
popularity among the German people at one time, and
by whom it was dramatized,
SAMUEL S. HILDEBEAND. 15
of ildebrand.
" I must be up and riding," spoke Master Hildebrand,
,' 'Tis long since I have greeted the distant Berner land ;
For many a pleasant summer in foreign lands we've been,
But thirty years have vanished since I my wife have seen."
"Wilt thoti be up and riding?" outspoke puke Amelung;
" Beware ! since one should meet thee — a rider brave and young.
Right by the Berner market — the brave Sir Alebrand ;
If twelve men's strength were in thee, he'd throw thee to the
sand!"
"And doth he scorn the country in such a haughty mood ?
I'll cleave in twain his buckler — 'twill do him little good ;
I'll cleave in twain his armor with a resistless blow,
Which for a long year after shall cause his mother woe."
Outspoke of Bern, Sir Dietrich, " now let that counsel be,
And slay him not, old hero, but take advice from me :
Speak gently to the Hitter, a kind word soonest mends ;
And let your path be peaceful, so shall ye both be friends ! "
And as he reached the garden, right by the mart of Berne ;
There came against him riding, a warrior fierce and stern.
A brave young knight in armor, against Sir Hildebrand ;
" What seekest thou, old Ritter, in this, thy father's land?"
"Thou bearcst splendid armor, like one of royal kind ;
So bright thy glit'ering corselet, mine eyes are stricken blind ;
Thou, who at home should'st rest thee, and shun a warrior's
stroke,
And slumber by the fireside," the old man laughed and spoke.
U
16 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
" Should I at firesides rest me, and nurse me well at home ^
Full many a fight a waits me, to many a field I'll come.
In many u rattling foray, shall I be known and feared;
Believe my word, thou youngster, 'twas thus I blanched my
beard."
"That beard will I tear from thee, though great may be thy pain.
Until the blood-drops trickling, have sprinkled all the plain ;
Thy fair green shield and armor, must thou resign to me,
Then seek the town, contented my prisoner to be.
"My armor and my fair green shield have warded many a blow;
I tmst that God in Heaven still will guard me from my foe."
No more they spoke together, but grasped their weapons keen,
And what the two most longed for, soon came to pass, I ween !
With glittering sword, the younger struck such a sudden blow,
That with its torce the warrior, Sir Hildebvaml, bent low ;
The youth in haste recoiling, sprang twelve good steps behind,
44 Such leaps," exclaimed the gray-beard, "were learned of
womankind."
4' Had I learned ought of woman, it were to me a shame,
Within my father's castle are many knights of fame ;
Full many knights and riders about my father throng,
And what as yet, I know not, I trust to learn ere long.
Sir Hildebrand was cunning, the old gray bearded man,
For when the youth uplifted, beneath Ids sword he ran ;
Around the Hitter's girdle his arms he tightly bound,
And on the ground he cast him — there lies he on the ground !
"Who rubs against the kittles, may spotless keep who can —
How fares it now, young hero, against the old gray man ?
Now quickly speak and shrive thec, for I thy priest will be ;
Say, art thou a young Wolfing? perhaps I'll let thee free."
4 'Like wolves are all the Wolfing, they ran wild in the wood,
But I'm a Grecian warrior, a rider brave and good ;
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. Li
Frau Ute is my mother, she dwelleth near this spot,
And Hildebrand. my father, albeit he knows us not!"'
"Is Ute then thy mother, that monarch's daughter free?
Seekest thou thy father, Hildebrand? then know that /am he !"
Uplifted he his golden helm, and kissed him on the mouth ;
Now God be praised that both are safe ! the old man and the
youth.
"Oh, father dear, those bloody wounds!" 'twas thus the
young knight said :
" Now would I three times rather bear those blows upon iny
head."
"Be still, bte still, my own dear son! the wounds will soon be
past ;
And God in Heaven above be praised, that we have met at last !"
This lasted from the noonday well to the vesper tide,
Then back into the city Sir Alebraiicl did ride.
What bears he on his helmet? a little cross of gold ;
Who is he that rides beside him ? his own dear father old.
And with him to his castle, old Hildebrand he bore, (sore —
And with his own hands served him — the mother grieved full
"Ah, son, my ever dearest son, the cause I fain would know,
Why a strange prisoner, like this, should e'er be honored so?"
"Xow, silence, clearest mother, and list to what I say !
He almost slew me on the heath in open light to-day ;
He ne'er shall wear, good mother, a prisoner's attire ,
'Tis Hildebrand, the valient, thy husband and my sire !
Oh, mother, dearest mother, do him all honor now ; "
Then flew she to her husband, and served him well, I trow ;
What holds the brave old father ? a glittering ring of gold ;
He drops it in the wine cup — it is her husband old !
18 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
"We congratulate our readers on having survived the
reading of the above poem, written a thousand years
ago, about old Dietrich, the "father Abraham" of all
the Hildebrands ; but he must not forget that he is
subject to a relapse, for here are two verses not taken
from the "Book of Heroes/' but from an old popular
song in use to this day among the peasantry in South
Germany :
|pildebrand and his son Jjtudebrand,
Hildebrand and his son Hudebrand — Alebrand,
Kode off together with sword in hand — sword in hand •
To make fierce war on Venice ;
Hildebrand and his son Hudebrand — Alebrand,
Never could find the Venetian land — 'netian land .
With flaming swords to menace !
Hildebrand and his son Hudebrand — Alebrand,
Got drunk as pigs with a jolly band— jolly band,
All the while swearing and bawling ;
Hildebrand and his son Hudebrand — Alebrand,
Drank till they could neither walk nor stand — walk nor stand,
Home on all fours they went a crawling.
The reader will perceive that the peasantry are dis
posed to "poke fun" at the great ancestor of the
Hildebrand family ; this, however, we will attribute to
envy, and make no effort to prove that "Hildebrand
and his son Hudebrand" were Good Templars, lest
we prove too much, and cause the reader to doubt their
Dutch origin altogether.
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 19
Following the geneology down, we meet with several
of the Hildebrands celebrated in the ecclesiastical,
literary and scientific world. Of the parentage of
Gregory YII. but little is known more than that he
was a Hildebrand, born near Rome, but of German
parents. On becoming a Eoman Pontiff in 1077, he
assumed the name of Gregory. He occupied the chair
of St. Peter for eight years, during which time he
assumed an authority over the crowned heads of Eu
rope, never before attempted. He was a bold man,
but was driven from his chair in 1085.
George Frederick Hildebrand was a famous physic
ian, who was born June 5, 1764, at Hanover. He was
one of the most learned men of his age ; was appointed
professor of Anatomy at Brunswick, but he soon took
the chair of Chemistry, at Erlangen, in Bavaria. He
died March 23, 1816, leaving some of the most elabor
ate and valuable works ever written.
Ferdinand Theodore Hildebrand was born Juno 2,
1804, and under the tuition of Professor Schadaw, at
Berlin, he became very renowned as a painter. He
followed his tutor to Dusseklorf in 1826, and was one
of the most celebrated artists of the Academy of Paint
ing at that place. In 1830 Hildebrand visited Italy to
view the productions of some of the old masters, and
afterwards traveled through the Netherlands. Some
of his best pictures were drawn to represent scenes in
the works of Shakspeare, of which "King Lear mourn
ing over the death of Cordelia," was perhaps the most
important. But among the critics, " The sons of Ed
ward" was considered hi^ greatest production.
20 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
It is not our purpose to name all the illustrious Ilil-
debrands who have figured in German history or litera
ture ; for it must be borne in mind that from the ninth
century down to the sixteenth, the name Hildebrand
was almost invariably applied as a given name ; it was
not until that century that it appears as a sur-name. It
is a fact, however, well known to historians, that the
same given name is frequently retained in a family, and
handed down from one generation to another perhaps
for one thousand years.
In the southern part of Germany the name Hilde
brand was borne by a certain class of vassals, but in the
Northern States of that country, there were families of
noble birth by the same name. The record of those
nobles run back with a great deal of certainty to a very
remote period of German history — beyond which, the
dim out-lines of tradition alone can be our guide.
This tradition, whether entitled to credit or not, traces
the geneology of the Hildebrands in the line of nobles
up to Sir Hildebrand, the exiled hero mentioned in
the Book of Heroes.
According to the record of the Hildebrand family,
as given by Henry Hildebrand of Jefferson county,
Missouri, to the authors of this work ; the seventh gen
eration back reaches to Peter Hildebrand of Hanover.
He was born in 1655, and was the youngest son of a
nobleman. His father having died while Peter was
yet a boy, he was educated at a military school, and
after arriving to manhood he served several years in
the army. Returning at length, he was vexed at the
cold reception he received from his elder brother, who
SAMUEL S. HILDBBRAND. 21
now inherited the estate with all the titles of nobility
belonging to the family. He resolved to emigrate to
the wild solitudes of America, where individual worth
and courage was the stepping stone to honor and dis
tinction.
His family consisted of a wife and three children ;
his oldest son, Jacob, was born in 1680 ; when he was
ten years of age the whole family emigrated to New
Amsterdam, remained three years and then settled in
the northern part of Pennsylvania, where he died a
few years afterwards.
Jacob Hildebrand's second son, Jacob, was born in
1705. He was fond of adventure and joined in several
exploring expeditions in one of which he was captured
by a band of Miami Indians, and only escaped by plung
ing into the Ohio river and concealing himself under a
drift of floating logs. His feelings of hostility against
the Indians prompted him to join the expedition against
them under Lieutenant Ward, who erected a fort at
what is now called Pittsburg, in 1754, here he was killed
in a vain attempt to hold the garrison against the
French and Indians under Contrecoeur.
His third son, John Hildebrand, was born in 1733,
and at the death of his father was twenty-one years of
age. Like most of the frontiermen of this early period,
he seemed to have an uncontrolable love of adventure.
His most ardent desire was to explore the great valley
of the Mississippi. At the period of which we are now
speaking (1754), he joined James M. Bride and others
and passed down the Ohio river in a canoe ; to his re-
grot, however, the company only reached the mouth of
22 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
the Kentucky river, cut their Initials in the barks of
trees, and then returned. In 1770 he removed to Mis
souri. His family consisted of his wife and two boys —
Peter was born in 1758, and Jonathan in 1762. He
built a flat-boat on the banks of the Ohio, and taking a
bountiful supply of provisions, he embarked with his
family. To avoid the Indians he kept as far from each
shore as possible, and never landed but once to pass
around the shoals. On reaching the Mississippi he
spent more than a week in ascending that river to
gain a proper point for crossing. He landed on the
western side at Ste. Genevieve.
Viewing the country there as being rather thickly
settled, he moved back into the wilderness about forty
miles and settled on Big River at the mouth of Saline
creek. He was the first settler in that country which
was afterwards organized as Jefferson county. He
opened a fine farm on Saline creek, built houses, and
considered himself permanently located in that wild
country. The Indians were unfriendly, and their hos
tility toward white settlers seemed to increase until
1780, when Peter Chouteau, by order of the Lieutenant
Governor of Louisiana, went to see Hildebrand and
warned him to leave on account of Indian depredations.
He then removed to Ste. Genevieve.
In 1783, Peter Hildebrand left Ste. Genevieve and
settled on "Big River in the same neighborhood where
his father had resided. He had a wife and four child
ren, whose names were, Isaac, Abraham, David, and
Betsy. He was a good marksman and very fond of
hunting. After he had resided there about one year,
SAMUEL S. IIILDEBKAND. 23
he was shot find killed by the Indians on the bank of
Big River one morning while on his return from hunt
ing wild game ; after which the family removed nearer
to a settlement.
In 1802, David Hildebrand settled on Big River, and
about the same time Jonathan Ilildebrand settled him
self permanently on the same river. He lived until
the commencement of the late war, and then died at
the age of one hundred years. He had three sons,
whose names are, George, Henry, and Samuel.
In 1832, George Hildebrand and his family moved
higher up on Big River and settled in St. Francois
county — his house was the Hildebrand homestead re
ferred to in these pages — and he was the father of
Samuel S. Hildebrand, whose Autobiography we now
submit to our readers.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OP
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND.
CHAPTER I.
Introduction.— Yankee Fiction. — Reasons for making a full
confession.
Since the close of the late rebellion, knowing that
I had taken a very active part during its progress
several of my friends have solicited ine to have my
history written out in full. This anxiety to obtain
the history of an individual so humble as myself,
may be attributed to the fact, that never perhaps
since the world began, have such efforts been put forth
by a government for the suppression of one man alone,
as have been used for my capture, both during the war
and since its termination. The extensive military
operations carried on by the Federal government in
South-east Missouri, were in a great measure designed
for my special destruction.
2
26 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
Since the close of the rebellion, while others -are
permitted to remain at home in peace, the war, with
out any abatement whatever, has continued against me
with a vindictiveness and alavish expenditure of money
that has no parallel on this continent} but through it
all, single-handed, have I come out unscathed and un-
conquered.
My enemies have thrust notoriety upon me, and have
excited the public mind at a distance with a desire to
know who I am and what I have done. Taking ad
vantage of this popular inquiry, some enterprising
individual in an eastern state has issued two or three
novels purporting to be my history, but they arc not
even founded on fact, and miss the mark about as far
as if they were designed for the Life of Queen Yic-
toria. I seriously object to the use of my name in any
such a manner. Any writer, of course, who is afflicted
with an irresistible desire to write fiction, has a perfect
right to do so, but he should select a fictitious name for
the hero of his novels, that his works may stand or fall,
according to their own intrinsic merit, rather than the
name of an individual whose notoriety alone would
insure the popularity of his books. But an attempt to
palm a novel on the inquiring public as a history of
my life, containing as it does a catalogue of criminal
acts unknown to me in all my career, is not only a
slander upon myself, but a glaring fraud upon the
public.
Much of our misfortune as a nation may be attributed
to the pernicious influence of the intolerant, intermed
dling, irrepressible writers of falsehood. In a com-
SAMUEL S. 11IMMOBKAND. 27
munity where the spirit of fiction pervades every de
partment of literature and all the social relations of
life, writers become so habituated to false coloring and
deception, that plain unadorned truth has seldom been
known to eminate from their perverted brains ; it would
be just as impossible for them to write down a naked
fact as it would for the Prince of Darkness to write a
volume of psalms.
The friend who has finally succeeded in tracing me
to my quiet retreat in the wild solitudes of the down
trodden South, is requesting me to make public the
whole history of my life, without any attempt at pallia
tion, concealment or apology. This I shall now pro
ceed to do, in utter disregard to a perverted public
opinion, and without the least desire or expectation of
receiving justice from the minds of those who never
knew justice, or sympathy from those who are desti
tute of that ingredient.
The necessity that was forced upon me to act the
part I did during the reign of terror in Missouri, is all
that I regret. It has deprived me of a happy home
and the joys of domestic peace and quietude; it has
driven me from the associations of childhood, and all
the scenes of early life that so sweetly cling to the
memory of man ; it has caused my kind and indulgent
mother to go down into her grave sorrowing; it has
robbed me of three affectionate brothers who were
brutally murdered and left weltering in their own in
nocent blood ; it has reduced me and my family to
absolute want and suffering, and has left us without a
home, and I might almost say, without a country.
28 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP
A necessity as implacable as the decrees of Fate,
was forced upon me by the "Union party to espouse the
opposite side ; and all the horrors of a merciless war
were waged unceasingly against mo for many months
before I attempted to raise my hand in self defense.
But fight I must, and fight 1 did ! War was the object,
and war it was. I never engage in but one business at
a time — my business during the war was killing ene
mies. It is a very difficult matter to carry on a war
for four years without some one getting hurt. If I did
kill over a hundred men daring the war, it was only
because I was in earnest and supposed that everybody
else was. My name is cast out as evil because I adopted
the military tactics not in use among large armies.
They were encumbered with artillery and fought
where they had ample room to use it, I had no artil
lery and generally fought in the woods ; my plan was
the most successful, for in the regular army the rebels
did not kill more than one man each during the war.
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND.
CHAPTEE II.
Early "History of the Hildebrand family. — Settled in St. Fran
cois county, Missouri. — Sam Hildebrand born. — Trouble
some Neighbors. — Union Sentiments.
In regard to the early history of the Hildebrand
family, I can only state what tradition has handed
down from one generation to another. As I have no
education, and can neither read in English nor Dutch,
I am not able to give any of the outlines of history
bearing upon the origin or acts of the Hildebrands in
remote ages. This task I leave for others, with this
remark, that tradition connects our family with the
Hildebrands who figured in the German history up to
the very origin of the Dutch language. The branch
of the family to which I belong were driven from
Bavaria into Netherlands two hundred years ago,
where they remained about forty years, and then emi
grated to Pennsylvania at the first settlement of that
portion of America.
They were a hardy race of people and always shunned
a city life, or being cooped up in thickly settled dis
tricts ; they kept on the outskirts of aggressive civi
lization as it pressed the redman still back into the
wild solitudes of the West, thus occupying the middle
ground or twilight of refinement. Hence they con
tinually breathed the pure, fresh air of our country's
morning, trod through the dewy vales of pioneer life,
80 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP
and drank at Freedom's shady fountains among the
unclaimed hills.
They were literally a race of backwoodsmen inured
to hardship, and delighted in nothing so much as wild
adventure and personal danger. They explored the
hills rather than the dull pages of history, pursued
the wild deer instead of tame literature, and enjoyed
their own thoughts rather than the dreamy notions
eminating from the feverish brain of philosophy.
In 1832 my father and mother, George and Eebecca
Hildebrand, settled in St. Francois county, Missouri,
on a stream called Big River, one of the tributaries of
the Meramcc which empties into the Mississippi about
twenty miles below St. Louis.
The bottom lands on Big River are remarkably fer
tile, and my father was so fortunate as to secure one of
the best bodies of land in that county. Timber grew
in abundance, both on the hills and in the valleys, con
sequently it took a great deal of hard labor to open a
farm ; but after a few years of close attention, father,
by the assistance of his boys who were growing up,
succeeded in opening a very large one. He built a
large stone dwelling house two stories high, and fin
ished it off in beautiful style, besides other buildings —
barns, cribs and stables necessary on every well regu
lated farm.
Father and mother raised a family of ten children,
consisting of seven boys and three girls. I was the
fifth one in the family, and was born at the old home
stead on Big River, St. Francois county, Missouri, on
the 6th day of January, 1836.
SAMUEL S. HlLDKBKANU. o
The facilities for acquiring an education in that
neighborhood were very slim indeed, besides I never
felt inclined to go to school even when I had a chance j
I was too fond of hunting and fishing, or playing
around the majestic bluffs that wall in one side or the
other of Big Kiver, the whole length of that crooked
and very romantic stream. One day's schooling was
all that I ever got in my life ; that day wTas sufficient
for me, it gave me a distaste to the very sight of a
school house, I only learned the names of two letters,
one shaped like the gable end of a house roof, and the
other shaped like an ox yoke standing on end. At
recess in the afternoon the boys got to picking at me
while the teacher was gone to dinner, and I had them
every one to whip. "When the old tyrant came back
from dinner and commenced talking saucy, I gave him
a good cursing and broke for home. My father very
generously gave me my choice, either to go to school
or to work on the farm. I gladly accepted the latter,
redoubled my energy and always afterwards took par
ticular pain3 to please my father in all things, because
he was so kind as not to compel me to attend school.
A threat to send me to school was all the whipping
that I ever required to insure obedience; I was more
afraid of that than I was of old "Kaw-head-and-bloody-
bones," or even the old scratch himself.
In 1850, my father died, but I still remained at the
homestead, working for the support of my mother
and the rest of the family, until I had reached the age
of nineteen years, then, on the 30th day of October,
1864, I married Miss Margaret Hampton, the daughter
82 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
of a highly esteemed citizen of St. Francois county*
I built a neat log house, opened a farm for myself,
within half a mile of the old homestead, and \ve went
to housekeeping for ourselves.
Prom the time that my father first settled on Big
Biver, we had an abundance of stock, and especially
hogs. The range was always good, and as the uplands
and hills constituted an endless forest of oaks, the in
exhaustible supply of acorns afforded all the food
that our hogs required ; they roamed in the woods,
and of course, many of them became as wild as deer ;
the wild ones remained among the hills and increased
until they became very numerous. "Whenever they
were fat enough for pork, we were in the habit of
going into the woods with our guns and our dogs and
killing as many of them as we could.
A few years after my father had settled there, a
colony of Pennsylvania Dutch had established them
selves in our neighborhood; they were very numerous
and constituted about two-thirds of the population of
our township. They soon set up " wild hog claims,"
declaring that some of their hogs had also run wild j
this led to disputes and quarrels, and to some "fist and
skull fighting," in which my brothers and myself soon
won the reputation of " bullies." Finding that they
had no show at this game, they next resorted to the
law, and we had many little law suits before our justice
of the peace. The Dutch out swore us, and we soon
found the Hildebrand family branded by them with
the very unjust and unpleasant epithet of "hog thieves;"
but we went in on the muscle and still held the woods.
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND,
As our part of the country became more thickly
settled and new neighbors came in, they in turn were
prejudiced against us ; and the rising generation seemed
to cling to the same idea, that the Hildebrands seemed
to love pork a little too well and needed watching.
Unfortunately for me, my old neighbors were union
men; all my sympathies too, were decidedly for the
union. I heard with alarm the mutterings of war in
the distance, like the deep tones of thunder beyond the
frowning hills. I had never made politics my study j
I had no education whatever, and had to rely exclu
sively on what others told me. Of course I was easily
imposed upon by political tricksters, yet from my
heart I deplored the necessity of a resort to arms, if
such a necessity did exist, a.nd whether it did or not
was more than I could divine.
While my union neighbors and enemies were making
the necessary preparations for leaving their families in
comfortable circumstances before taking up arms in
defense of their country, there were a few shrewed
southern men around to magnify and distort the griev
ances of the southern people. In many cases the men
whom they obtained had nothing in the world at stake,
no useful object in view, no visible means of acquiring
an honest livelihood, and were even without a horse
to ride. This, however, only afforded them a pretext
for practicing what they called " pressing horses,"
which was done on a large scale. Neither political
principles, patriotic motives, nor love of country
prompted this abominable system of horse stealing. It
was not confined to either party, and it was a remarka-
34 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP
ble co-incident how invariably the political sentiments
of a horse-pressing renegade would differ from the
neighbor who happened to have the fastest horses.
SAMUEL B. HILDEBKAND. 35
CHAPTEE III.
Determination to take no part in the War. — Mr. Ringer killed
by Rebels. — The cunning device of Allen Roan. — Vigilance
Committee organized. — The baseness of Mobocracy. — At
tacked by the Mob. — Escape to Flat Woods.
In the spring of 1861, the war of the Great [Rebellion
was inaugurated, and during the following summer was
carried on in great fury in many places, but I shall
only speak of those occurrences which had a particular
bearing upon myself.
I called on some good citizens who were not republi
cans, and whom I knew to be well posted in the cur
rent events of the day, to ask them what course it was
best for me to pursue during the unnatural struggle.
They advised me to stay at home and attend to my
own business. This 1 determined to do, so I paid no
further attention to what was going on, put in my
crop of corn at the usual season and cultivated it dur
ing the summer.
On the 9th day of August the popular excitement in
St. Francois county was greatly increased by the kill
ing of Mr. Ringer, a union man, who was shot at his
own house for no other cause than his political princi
ples. He was killed, as I afterwards learned, by Allen
Eoan and Tom Cooper. It should be borne in mind
that Roan was a relative of mine with whom I was on
> AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
friendly terms. I was not implicated in the death of
Ringer in any manner, shape, or form, but suspicion
rested upon me j the "Hildebrand gang" were branded
with the murder.
I could not check Roan in the rash course he was
pursuing; but in all sincerity, I determined to follow
the advice given me by a certain union friend, who
told me to take no part in the cause that would in the
end bring disaster upon myself. It was good advice ;
why then did I not follow it? In the presence of that
Being who shall judge the quick and the dead, I shall
truthfully and in a few words explain the whole matter.
I had no sooner made up my mind fully what course to
pursue, than I was caught in a cunningly devised trap
that settled my destiny forever.
One evening Allen Roan came to my field where I
was plowing and proposed swapping horses with me ;
the horse which he said he had bought was a better one
than my own, so I consented to make the exchange ;
finding afterwards that the horse would not work in
harness, I swapped him off the next day to Mr. Rogers.
Prior to this time my neighbors had organized them
selves into what they called a Vigilance Committee,
and were moving in squads night and day to put down
horse stealing. Only a few of the committee were
dangerous men, but Firman Mcllvaine, who was put
at the head of the gang was influenced by the worst
element in the community j it became a political ma
chine for oppression and bloodshed under the guidance
of James Craig, John House, Joe McGahan, John
SAMIJUL S. HiLDEiiRAND. oT
woody, "William Pattern, and others, who were swearing
death to every man implicated i n any way with the
southern recruits who were pressing horses.
The horse I had traded for from Allen Roan and
which Rogers obtained from me, proved to be the
property of Dun woody. I was apprised of the fact
by a friend at night, and told also that they had threat
ened me and my brother Frank with death if they
could find us, and notwithstanding our entire innocence
in the matter, we were compelled to hide out. We
knew that when the law is wrested from the civil au
thorities by such men as they were, that anything like
a trial would not be permitted. We secreted ourselves
in the woods, hoping that matters would take a different
turn in a short time ; each night I was posted in regard
to their threats. I would willingly have surrendered
myself to the civil authorities with a guarantee of a
fair trial j but to fall into the hands of an unscrupulous
mob who were acting in violation of law, particularly
when law arid order was broken up by the heavy tramp
of war, was what we were compelled by all means to
avoid. We had no alternative but to elude their search.
It is a fact well known, that in the upheaval of popu
lar passion for the overliirow of law and order under
any pretext whatever, a nucleus is formed, around
which the most vile, the most turbulent, and the most
cowardly instinctively fly. Cowardly villains invari
ably join in with every mob that conies within their
reach; personal enmity and spite is frequently their
controling motive ; the possible opportunity of re
dressing some supposed grievance without incurring
38 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP
danger to themselves is their incentive for swelling the
mob. A person guilty of any particular crime, to avoid
suspicion, is always the most clamorous for blood when
some one else stands accused of the same offense. In
the Vigilance Committee were found the same materials
existing in all mobs. No brave man was ever a tyrant,
but no coward ever failed to be one when he had the
power. They still kept up the search for me and my
brother with an energy worthy of a better cause.
It was now October, the nights were cold and we
suffered much for the want of blankets and even for
food. ~VVe were both unaccustomed to sleeping out at
night and were chilled by the cold wind that whistled
through the trees. After we had thus continued in the
woods about three weeks, I concluded to venture in
one night to see my family and to get something to eat,
and some bed clothes to keep me more comfortable at
night.
I had heard no unusual noise in the woods that day,
had seen no one pass, nor heard the tramp of horses
feet in any direction.
It was about eleven o'clock at night when I got within
sight of the house, no light was burning within ; I
heard no noise of any kind, and believing that all was
right I crept up to the house and whispered "Margaret"
through a crack. My wife heard me, and recognizing
my voice she noiselessly opened the door and le^t me in.
We talked only in whispers, and in a few minutes she
placed my supper upon the table. Just as I was go
ing to eat I heard the top rail fall off my yard fence.
The noise did not suit me, so I took my gun in one
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAMD. 39
%
hand, a loaf of corn bread in the other, and instantly
stepped out into the yard by a back door.
JVIcIlvaine and his vigilantees were also in the yard,
and were approaching the house from all sides in a
regular line. In an instant I detected a gap in their
ranks and dashed through it. As they commenced
firing I dodged behind a molasses mill that fortunately
stood in the yard, it caught nine of their bullets and
without doubt saved my life. After the first volley I
struck for the woods, a distance of about two hundred
yards. Though their firing did not cease, I stopped
midway to shoot at their flame of fire, but a thought
struck me that it would too well indicate my where
abouts in the open field, so I hastened on until I had
gained the edge of the woods, and there I sat down to
listen at what was going on at the house. I heard
Firman Mcllvaine's name called several times, and very
distinctly heard his replies and knew his voice. This
satisfied me beyond all doubt that the marauders were
none other than the self-styled Vigilance Committee.
I was fortunate in my escape, and had a deep sense
of gratitude to heaven for my miraculous preservation.
Though I had not made my condition much better by
my visit, yet I gnawed away, at intervals, upon my
loaf of corn bread, and tried to reconcile myself as
much as possible to the terrible state of aifairs then
existing. I saw very plainly that my enemies would
not permit me to remain in that vicinity ; but the idea
of being compelled to leave my dear home where I wars
born and raised, and to strike out into the unknown
world with my family without a dollar in my pocket,
40 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
•
without anything except one horse and the clothing
we had upon our backs, was anything in the world
but cheering However, I had no alternative ; to take
care of my dependent and suffering family, was the
motive uppermost in my mind at all times.
After the mob had apparently left, my wife came
out to me in the woods. Our plans were soon formed;
after dressing the children, five in number, as quietly
and speedily as possible, she brought them to me at a
designated point among the hills in the dark forest. She
returned to the house alone, and with as little noise as
possible saddled up my horse, and after packing him
with what bed clothing and provisions she conveniently
could, she circled around among the hills and re
joined mo at a place I had named in the deep forest
about five miles from our once happy home. Daylight
soon made its appearance and enabled me to pick out
a place of tolerable security.
We remained concealed until the re-appearance of
night and then proceeded on our cheerless wandering. In
silence we trudged along in the woods as best we could,
avoiding the mud and occasional pools of water. I
carried my gun on my shoulder and one of the children
on my hip ; my wife, packing the baby in her arms,
walked quietly by my side. I never was before so
deeply impressed with the faith, energy and confiding
spirit of woman. As the moon would occasionally
peep forth from the drifting clouds and strike upon the
pale features of my uncomplaining wife, I thought I
could detect a look of cheerfulness in her countenance,
and more than once I thought I heard a suppressed
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 41
titter when either of us got tangled up in the brush.
When daylight appeared we were on Wolf creek, a few
miles south of Farmington j here we stopped in the
woods to cook our breakfast and to rest a while. Dur
ing the day we proceeded on to what is called Flat
Woods, eight miles from Farmington, in the southern
part of St. Francois county, and about ten miles north
from Fredericktown. From Mr. Griffin I obtained the
use of a log cabin in a retired locality, and in a few
minutes we were duly installed in our new house.
42 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTEE IV.
Mcllvaine's Vigilance Mob. — Treachery of Castleman. — Frank
Hildebrand hung by the Mob. — Organization of the Mob
into a Militia Company.
The Vigilance Committee, with Firman Mcllvaine at
its head, was formed ostensibly for the mutual protec
tion against plunderers \ yet some bad men were in it.
By their influence it became a machine of oppression, a
shield for cowards, and the head-quarters for tyranny.
After I left Big River my brother Frank continued
to conceal himself in the woods until about the middle
of November j the weather now grew so cold that he
could stand it no longer ; he took the advice of Frank
lin Murphy and made his way to Potosi, and in order
to silence all suspicion in regard to his loyalty, he went
to Captain Castleman and offered to join the Home
Guards. Castleman being intimate with Firman Mcll
vaine, detained Frank until he had time to send Mcll
vaine word, and then basely betraj^ed him into the
merciless hands of the vigilant mob.
In order to obtain a shadow of legal ty for his pro
ceedings, Mcllvaine took brother Frank before Frank
lin Murphy, who at that time was justice of the peace
on Big River. Frank was anxious that the justice
might try the case ; but when Murphy told them that
all the authority he had would only enable him to com
mit him to jail for trial in the proper court, even if the
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 43
charges were sustained/ they were dissatisfied at this,
and in order to take the matter out of the hands of the
justice and make it heyond his jurisdiction, they de
clared that lie had stolen a horse in Ste. G-enevieve
county.
The mob then took Frank to Punjaub, in that county,
before Justice K. M. Cole, who told them that he was
a sworn officer of the law, and that if they should pro
duce sufficient evidence against their prisoner, he could
only commit him to jail. This of course did not satisfy
the mob ; to take the case out of his hands, they stated
that the offense he had committed was that of stealing
a mule in Jefferson county. They stated also that
Frank and Sam Anderson had gone in the night to the
house of a Mr. Carney to steal his mare ; that Mrs. Car
ney on hearing them at the gate, went out and told
them that Mr. Carney was absent and had rode the
mare; that they then compelled Mrs. Carney to go
with them a quarter of a mile in her night clothes to
show them where Mr. Becket lived ; and finally that
they went there and stole his horse. Failing however
to obtain the co-operation of the Justice in carrying
out their lawless designs, the mob left with their pris
oner, declaring that they were going to take him to
Jefferson county for trial.
The sad termination of the affair is soon told. TJje
mob took my kind, inoffensive brother about five miles
and hung him without any trial whatever, after which
they threw his body in a sink-hole thirty feet in depth,
and there his body laid for more than a month before
it was found, A few weeks after this cold blooded
44 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
murder took place, Firman Mcllvaine had the audacity
to boast of the d£ed, declaring positively that Frank
had been hung by his express orders. This murder
took place on the 20th day of November, 1861, about
a month after I had been driven from Big River.
A few nights after my arrival at Flat Woods I made
my way back to my old home in order to briug away
some more of my property, but on arriving there 1
found that my house had been robbed and all my
property either taken away or destroyed. I soon
learned from a friend that the Yigilance Committee
had wantonly destroyed everything that they did not
want. I returned to FJat Woods in a very despondent
mood. I was completely broken up.
The union men were making war upon me, but I
was making no war upon them, for I still wished to
take no part in the national struggle. I considered it
" a rich man's war and a poor man's fight." But a
sense of my wrongs bore heavily upon me ; I had been
reduced to absolute poverty (to say nothing of the
murder of my brother) by the unrelenting cruelty of
Firman Mcllvaine who was a rich man, drowned in
luxury and surrounded by all the comforts of life that
the eye could wish, or a cultivated appetite could
desire.
The war was now raging with great fury in many
sections of the country ; yet I remained at home intent
on making a living for my family, provided I could do
so without being molested, but during all the time I
was at work, I had to keep a sharp lookout for my
enemies.
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 47
That leprous plague spot — the Yigilance Committee
— finally ripened and culminated in'the formation of a
company of militia on Big Kiver, with James Craig for
Captain and Joe McGahan for First Lieutenant. The
very act for which they were so anxious to punish
others, on mere suspicion, they themselves now com
mitted with a high hand.
They were ordered to disarm southern sympathizers
and to seize on articles contraband of war, such as
arms and ammunition. This gave them great latitude;
the cry of "disloyal" could be very easily raised against
any man who happened to have a superabundance of
property. "Arms" was construed also to include arm
chairs and their arms full of everything they could get
their hands on; "guns" included Gunn's Domestic Medi
cine; a fine claybank mare was confiscated because she
looked so fiery) and a spotted mule because it had so
many colors ; they took a gun from Mr. Metts merely
because he lived on the south side of Big Eiver ; they
dipped heavily into the estate of Dick Poston, deceased,
by killing the cattle for beef and dividing it among
themselves, under the pretext that if Dick Poston had
been living, he most undoubtedly would have been a
rebel.
48 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTEK Y.
His house at Flat Woods attacked by Eighty Soldiers.—
Wounded. — Miraculous Escape. — Captain Bolin.— Arrival in
Green County, Arkansas.
In April, 1862, after we had lived at Flat "Woods
during six months of perfect trail quility, that same
irrepressible Vigilance Committee, or some men who
had composed it, learned finally that I was living at
Flat Woods. Firman Mcllvaine and Joe McG-ahan
succeeded in getting eighty soldiers from Ironton to
aid in my capture. I had been hauling wood; as soon
as I unloaded the wagon I stepped into the house, and
the first thing I knew, the eighty soldiers and the
vigilantees were within gunshot and coming under ftill
charge. I seized my gun and dashed through a gap in
their lines that Heaven had again left open for my
escape. They commenced firing upon me as soon as I
was out of the house. The brush being very thick not
far off, I saw that my only chance was to gain the
woods, and that as soon as possible. I ran through the
garden and jumped over a picket fence — this stopped
the cavalry for a moment. I made through the brush;
but out of the hundreds of bullets sent after me, one
struck my leg below the knee and broke a bone. I
held up by the bushes as well as I could, to keep them
from knowing that I was wounded. While they had to
stop to throw down a fence, I scrambled along about
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 49
two hundred yards farther, and crouched in a gully that
happened to be half full of leaves; I quickly buried
myself completely from sight. The soldiers were all
around in a short time and scoured the woods in every
direction ; then they went back and burned the house
and everything we had, after which they left and I
saw them no more.
Sixteen of Captain Bolin's men on the day before
had been seen to cross the gravel road; this, probably,
was why the federal soldiers did^not remain longer.
Captain Bolin was a brave rebel officer, whose head
quarters were in Green county, Arkansas, and under
whose command some of the most daring spirits who
figured in the war, were led on to deeds of heroism
scarcely over equaled.
Our condition was truly deplorable ; there I lay in
the gully covered up with leaves, with one leg ren
dered useless, without even the consolation of being
allowed to groan ; my family, too, were again without
shelter; the soldiers had burned everything — clothes,
bedding and provisions.
As I lay in that gully, suffering with my wounds in
flicted by United States soldiers, I declared war. I
determined to fight it out with them, and by the assist
ance of my faithful gun, "Kill-devil," to destroy as
many of my blood-thirsty enemies as I possibly could.
To submit to further wrong from their hands would be
an insult to the Being who gave me the power of re
sistance.
After the soldiers had left, my wife came in search
of me, believing that I was wounded from the manner
3
60 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
in which I seemed to run. I told her to go back, that
I was not hurt very bad, and that when she was satis
fied that no one was watching around, to come at night
and dress my leg. She went, however, in search of
some friend on whom we could rely for assistance.
Fortunately she came across Mr. Pigg, to whom she
related the whole circumstance, and he came immedi
ately to my relief. He was a man of the right stripe ;
regardless of consequences, he did everything in his
power to relieve my suffering, and to supply my family
with bedding and provisions. He removed us by night
to a place of safety, and liberally gave us all we needed.
While I thus lay nursing my wound, my place of con
cealmcnt was known only to a few men whom we
could easily trust.
In my hours of loneliness I had much time for re
flection. The terrible strait in which I found myself,
naturally led me to the mental inquiry : " Have I the
brand of Cain, that the hands of men should be turned
against me? What have I done to merit the persecu
tion so cruel and so persistent?" I could not solve
the questions; in the sight of a just God I felt that I
did not merit such treatment. Sometimes I half re
solved to go into some other State on purpose to avoid
the war ; but I was constantly warned by my friends
who were southern men, (the only men with whom I
could hold communication at present,) that it would be
unsafe to think of doing so, and that my only safety
lay in my flight to the southern army. The vigilance
mob had nearly destroyed every vestige of sympathy
or good feeling I had for the union people. They had
SAMUEL S. IIILDEBRAND. £>1
reported me, both to the civil and military authorities,
as being a horse thief, and, withal, a very dangerous
man.
On thinking the matter over I lost all hope of ever
being able to reinstate myself in their favor and being
permitted to enjoy the peaceful privileges of a quiet
citizen. The die was cast — for the sake of revenge, I
pronounced myself a Rebel.
I remained very quietly at my place of concealment
while my wife doctored my wounded leg for a week
before my friend had an opportunity of sending word
to any of Captain Bolin's men to come to my relief.
As soon as my case was made known to them, however,
a man was dispatched to see me for the purpose of
learning all the particulars in the case. He came and
asked me a great many questions, but answered none.
When he arose to depart he only said, "all right — rest
easy."
The next night I was placed in a light spring wagon
among some boxes of drugs and medicines, and was told
that my wife and family would be taken to Bloornficld
by Captain Bolin in a short time, and protected until I
could come after them. A guard of two men accom
panied us, and rode the whole night without speaking
a word to any one. Nearly the whole route was
through the woods, and although the driver was very
watchful and used every precaution against making a
noise, yet in the darkness of the night I was tumbled
about among the boxes pretty roughly.
When daylight came we halted in a desolate looking
country, inhabited only by wild animals of the forest.
52 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP
We had traveled down on the western side of St. Fran
cois river, and were now camped near the most western
bend on that river near the southern line of Madison
county ; we remained all day at that point, and I spent
most of my time in sleeping. When the sun had dipped
behind the western hills we again commenced our
journey. Our course seemed to bear more to the east
ward than it did the night before, and as we were then
in a country not so badly infested with Federals, we
traveled a good part of our time in narrow, crooked
roads, but they were rough beyond all description, and
I was extremely glad when about eight o'clock in the
morning we halted for breakfast on the western bank
of St. Francois river, about midway between Bloom-
field, in Stoddard county, and Crane creek, in Butler.
While resting here a scouting party from General
Jeff. Thompson's camp came riding up.
"Well boys ! what have you in your wagon ?"
" Drugs and medicines for Captain Bolin's camp."
On hearing this they dismounted and kept up a lively
conversation around the camp fire. Among their num
ber was a jovial fellow who kept the rest all laughing. I
thought I knew the voice, and as I turned over to peep
through a hole in the wagon bed, he heard me and
sprang to his feet.
" Who in thunderation have you in the wagon ?"
"Some fellow from St. Francois county, wounded and
driven off by the Federals."
" The devil ! why that is my native county. I'll take
a look at that fellow. Its Sam Hildebrand as I live !
How do you do, old rapscallion?"
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 53
""Well, well, if I haven't run across Tom Haile, the
dare-devil of the swamps!"
"Old 'drugs and medicines' what are you doing
here ? trying to pass yourself off for a great medicinal
root I suppose. Do you feel tolerable better? Fm
afraid you are poison. Say, Sam, did you bring some
good horses down with you?"
" Hush Tom ! if they find out that Tin not a horse
thief, they will drum me out of camp !"
The party soon prepared to start ; the first man who
attempted to mount came near being dashed to the
ground in consequence of the rattling of a tin cup
some one had tied to his spur. Tom said it was a per
fect shame to treat any man in that way ; the man
seemed to think so, too, judging from the glance he
cast at Tom. But they mounted, dashed through a
sheet of muddy water, then over a rocky point, and
soon were far away amid the dim blue hills.
We started on, and after -graveling until about mid
night, wo reached the State line between Missouri and
Arkansas, there we remained until morning ; on start
ing again we were in Green county, Arkansas, and
sometime during the day we arrived safely at the Head
quarters of Captain Bolin, and I was wel comely re
ceived into the little community of families, who were
here assembled for mutual protection — most of them
were the families of Captain Bolin's men. I received
every attention from them that my necessities required,
and as my wound seemed to be doing well, I felt for a
time quite at home.
54 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTER VI.
Interview with Gen. Jeff. Thompson.— Receives a Major's
Commission. — Interview with Captain Bolin.— Joins the
"Bushwhacking Department."
Captain Bolin with most of his forces were some
where in the vicinity of Bloomfield, Missouri, and as I
was anxious to identify myself with the army, I got
the use of a horse as soon as I was able to ride, and in
company with several others proceeded across the
swampy country east of the St. Francis river, for the
purpose of joining General Jeff. Thompson. I reached
his headquarters in safety, and stayed about camp,
frequently meeting acquaintances from Missouri and
occasionally getting news from home. As soon as I
could gain admission to the General's headquarters I
did so, and he received me very kindly. He listened
very attentively to me as I proceeded to state my case
to him — how my brother had been murdered, how I
had barely escaped the same fate, and how I had finally
been driven from the country.
General Thompson reflected a few moments, then
seizing a pen he rapidly wrote off a few lines and hand
ing it to me ho said, "here, I give you a Major's com
mission ; go where you please, take what men you can
pick up, fight on your o\vri hook, and report to mo
every six months." I took the paper and crammed it
'down into my pantaloon's pocket and walked out, I
SAMUEL S. lilLDEBRAND. 55
could not read my commission, but I was determined
to ask no one to read it forme, for that would bo rather
degrading to my new honor.
I retired a little distance from camp and taking my
seat on an old cypress log, I reflected how the name of
"Major Sam Hildebrand" would look in history. I
did not feel comfortable over the new and very unex
pected position in which I had been placed. I knew
nothing of military tactics ; I was not certain whether
a Major held command over a General or whether
he was merely a bottle washer under a Captain. I
determined that if the latter was the case, that I would
return to Green county and serve under Captain Bolin.
As I had no money with which to buy shoulder-
straps, I determined to fight without them. I was rather
scarce of money just at that time; if steamboats were
selling at a dollar apiece, I did not have money enough
to buy a canoe paddle. I stayed in camp, however,
several days taking lessons, and hearing the tales of
blood and pillage from the scouts as they came in from
various directions.
By this time my wound felt somewhat easier, so I
mounted my horse and made my way back to Green
county, and arrived safely at Captain Bolin's head
quarters. The Captain was at home, and I immedi
ately presented myself before him. He said he had
heard of me from one of his s- outs, and was highly
gratified that one of his men hud seen proper to have
me- conveyed to his headquarters.
"I presume," said he, "that you have been to the
56 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP
headquarters of General Jeff. Thompson. Did you
see the < Old Swamp Fox ?' "
"I did."
"What did he do for you?''
Here I pulled my commission from my pocket, that
now looked more like a piece of gunwadding than any
thing else, and handed it to the Captain.
"Well, Major Hildebrand— "
"Sam, if you please."
"Yery well then, what do you propose to do?"
" I propose to fight."
"But Major—"
" Sam, if you please."
"All right, sir ! Sam, I see that you have the com
mission of a Major."
"Well Captain, I can explain that matter : he formed
me into an indepcndant company of my own — to pick
up a few men if can get them — go where I please — when
I please — and when I go against my old personal ene
mies up in Missouri, I am expected to do a Major part
of the fighting myself."
At this the Captain laughed heartily, and after rum
maging the contents of an old box he drew forth some-
o o
thing that looked tome very much like a bottle After
this ceremony was over he remarked :
"Well sir, the commission I obtained is of the same
kind. I have one hundred and twenty-five men, and we
are what is denominated f Bushwhackers ' ; we carry 011
a war against our enemies by shooting them ; my men
are from various sections of the country, and each one
perhaps has some grievance to redress at home ; in
SAMUEL S. IIILDEBRAND. 57
order to enable him to do this effectually we give him
all the aid that he may require ; after he sets things to
right in his section of country, he promptly comes
back to help the others in return j we thus swap work
like the fanners usually do in harvest time. If you
wish an interest in this joint stock mode of lighting
you can unite your destiny with ours, and be entitled
to all our privileges."
Captain Bolin's proposition was precisely what I so
ardently desired. Of the real merits of this war I
knew but little and cared still less. To belong to a
large army and be under strict military discipline, was
not pleasing to my mind ; to be brought up in a strong
column numbering several thousands, and to be hurled
in regular order against a mass of men covering three
or four miles square, against whom I had no personal
spite, would not satisfy my spirit of revenge. Even in
a fierce battle fought between two large opposing
armies, not more than one man out of ten can succeed
in killing his man ; in a battle of that kind he would
have no more weight than a gnat on a bull's horn.
I was fully satisfied that the " Bushwhacking depart
ment" was the place for me, with the continent for a
battle field and the everlasting woods for my head
quarters.
58 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTER VII.
Trip to Missouri. — Kills George Cornecious for reporting on
him. — Kills Firman Mcllvaine. — Attempt to kill McGahan
and House. — Returns to Arkansas.
My wound kept me at headquarters for about six
weeks after my arrival in Arkansas. During all this
time I could not hear a word from my family, for the
Federals had possession of every town in that section
of country, together with all the roads leading from one
county to another.
On the 1st day of June, 1862, having been furnished
a horse, I took my faithful gun, " Kill-devil," and started
on my first trip back to Missouri. As my success would
depend altogether on the secrecy of my movements, I
went alone. 1 traveled altogether in the night, and
most of the time through the woods. From Captain
Bolin's men I had learned the names of Southern sym
pathizers along the whole route, so I made it conven
ient to travel slowly in order to favor my wounds and
to get acquainted with our friends.
I arrived in the vicinity of Flat Woods, in St. Fran
cois county, Missouri, on the 12th day of June, and
immediately commenced searching for George Corne
cious, the man who reported my whereabouts to Mcll-
vaino and the soldiers, thereby causing mo to be
wounded and expelled from Flat "Woods. After search
ing two days and two nights I succeeded in shooting
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 59
ho was the first man I ever killed ; a little notch
cut in the stock of my gun was made to commemorate
the deed.
To avoid implicating my family in any way wTith my
transactions, I satisfied myself with exchanging words
with my wife through a friend who was thought by his
neighbors to be a Union man. My family resided in a
little cabin on Back creek, and my wife was cultivating
a garden.
To carry out the darling object I had in view — that
of killing Firman Mcllvaine — I went to Flat river, and
after remaining several days, I took a pone of bread
for my rations and walked to his farm on Big river
after night.
I passed through his fields, but finding no place where
harvesting was going on, I crossed Big river on a fish-
trap dam and ranged over the Baker farm on the oppo
site side of the river, about a mile above Big river
Mills, where the Mcllvaine family now resided.
I found where harvesting had just commenced in a
field which formed the southwestern corner of the farm.
This field is on the top of a perpendicular bluff, about
one hundred feet high, and is detached from the main
farm by a road leading from Ste. Genevieve to Potosi.
A portion of the grain had already been cut on the
western side of the field, near the woods; there I took
my station in the fence corner, early in the morning,
thinking that Mcllvaine would probably shock the
grain while the negroes were cradling. In this I was
mistaken, for I saw him swinging his cradle in another
part of the field, beyond the range of my gun.
O AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
I next attempted to crawl along the edge of the Muff
among the stunted cedars, but had to abandon I lie at
tempt because the negroes stopped in the shade of the
cedars every time they came around. Then I went
back into the woods, and passed down under the bluff,
along the edge of the river, until I got opposite the
place where they were at work; but I found no place
where I could ascend the high rock. 1 went around
the lower end of the blufV, and crawled up to the Held
on the other side, but I was at too great a distance to
get a shot. Finally, I went down to the river and was
resting myself near a large flat rock that projected out
into the river, where some persons had recently been
fishing, when suddenly Firman Mcllvaine rode down
to the river and watered his horse at a ford about sixty
yards below me. I tried to draw a bead on him, but
the limb of a tree prevented me, and when he started
back he rode too fast for my purpose.
At night I crept under a projecting rock and slept
soundly; but very early in the morning 1 ascended the
bluff and secreted myself at a convenient distance from
where they had left off cradling. But 1 was again
doomed to disappointment, for, as the negroes were
cradling, Mcllvaino was shocking the grain in another
part of the field.
In the evening, as soon as they had finished cutting
the grain, all hands left, and I did not know where they
were. I next stationed myself at a short distance from
tho river, and watched for him to water his horse ; but
his father presently passed along leading tho horse to
water.
SAMUEL S. IIILDEBRAND. 63
I again slept under the overhanging rock; and on
the next morning (June 23d) I crossed the river on the
fish dam, and went to tlie lower part of Mcllvaine's
farm. There I found the negroes cutting down a field
of rye. They cut away for several hours, until they
got it all down within one hundred yards of the fence,
hefore Mcllvaine made his first round. On getting a
little past me, he stopped to whet his scythe ; as soon
as he had done so he lowered the cradle to the ground
and for a moment stood resting on the handle.
I fired, and he fell dead.
Nothing but a series of wrongs long continued could
ever have induced me to take the life of that highly
accomplished young man.
After the outbreak of the war, while others were
losing horses, a fine mare was stolen from him. The
theft was riot committed by me, but my personal ene
mies probably succeeded in making him believe that I
had committed the act.
He was goaded on by evil advisers to take the law
into his own hands ; my brother Frank was hung
without a trial, and his body thrown into a sink-hole,
to moulder like that of a beast; my own life had been
sought time and again ; my wife and tender family
were forced to pass through hardships and suffering
seldom witnessed in the annals of histoiy. The
mangled features of my poor brother ; the pale face of
my confiding wife ; the tearful eyes of my fond chil
dren — all would seem to turn reprovingly upon me in
my midnight dreams, as if demanding retributive jus?
64 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
tico. My revenge was reluctant and long delayed, but
it came at last.
I remained in the woods, near the residence of a
friend for a day or two, and then I concluded to silence
Joe McGahan and John House before returning to Ar
kansas. I proceeded to the residence of the former,
who had been very officious in the Vigilance mob, and
posted myself in some woods in the field within one
hundred yards of the house, just as daylight began to
appear. I kept a vigilant watch for him all day, but
he did not make his appearance until it had commenced
getting dark; then he rode up and went immediately
into his house. By this time it was too dark for me to
shoot at such a distance. I moved to the garden fence,
and in a few minutes he made his appearance in the
door with a little child in his arms. The fence pre
vented me from shooting him below the child, and I
could not shoot him in the breast for fear of killing it.
He remained in the door only a minute or two, and
then retired into the house; and while I was thinking
the matter over, without noticing closely for his reap
pearance, I presently discovered him "riding off. I
went to a thicket in his field and slept until nearly day,
when I again took my position near the house, and
watched until night again set in, but fortunately for
him he did not make his appearance.
I now went about four miles to the residence of John
House, selected a suitable place for my camp, and slept
soundly until daybreak. I watched closely all day, but
saw nothing of my enemy. Ae soon as it was dark I
went back to Flat river, and on the next night I
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 65
mounted my horse and started back to Green county,
Arkansas, without being discovered by any one except
by those friends whom I called on for provisions.
66 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTEE VIII.
Vigilance mob drives his mother from home. — Three com
panies of troops sent to Big river. — Captain Flanche mur
ders Washington Hildebrand and Landusky, — Captain Esro-
ger murders John Roan. — Capt. Adoph burns the Hildebrand
homestead and murders Henry Hildebrand.
I shall now give a brief account of the fresh enor
mities committed against the Hildebrand family. The
same vindictive policy inaugurated by the Vigilance
mob was still pursued by them until they succeeded, by
misrepresentation, in obtaining the assistance of the
State and Federal troops for the accomplishment of
their designs.
A Dutch company, stationed at North Big Eiver
Uridge, under Capt. Esroger ; a Dutch company sta
tioned at Cadet, under Capt. Adolph, and a French
company stationed at the Iron Mountain, under Capt.
Flanche, were all sent to Big River to crush out the
Hildebrand family.
Emboldened by their success in obtaining troops,
the Yigilance mob marched boldly up to the Hilde
brand homestead and notified my mother, whom, they
found reading her Bible, that she must immediately
leave the county, for it was their intention to burn her
house and destroy all her property.
My mother was a true Christian ; she was kind and
affectionate to everybody; her hand was always ready
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. G7
t j relieve the distressed, and smooth the pillow for the
afflicted; the last sight seen upon earth by eyes swim
ming in death has often been the pitying face of my
mother, as she hovered over the bed of sickness.
I appeal to all her neighbors — I appeal to everybody
who knew her — to say whether my mother ever had a
.superior in this respect.
When ordered to leave her cherished home, to leave
the house built by her departed husband, to leave the
quiet homestead where she had brought up a largo fam
ily, and where every object was rendered dear by a
thousand sweet associations that clung to her memory,
she turned her mind inwardly, but found nothing there
to reproach her; then to her God she silently commit
ted herself.
She hastily took her Bible and one bed from the
house — but nothing more. She had arrangements made
to have her bed taken to the house of her brother,
Harvey McKee, living on Dry Creek, in Jefferson
county, distant about thirty five miles. Then, tak
ing her family Bible in her arms, she burst into a
flood of tears, walked slowly out of the little gate,
and left her home forever!
I will here state that I was the only one of the
Hildebrand family who espoused the Rebel cause.
After the murder of my brother Frank, I had but
three brothers left : William, Washington and Henry
William joined the Union army and fought until the
close of the war. Washington took no part in the
war, neither directly nor indirectly. Never, per
haps, was there a more peaceable, quiet and law-
68 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
abiding citizen than he was ; he never spoke a word
that could be construed into a sympathy for the
Southern cause, and I defy any man to produce the
least evidence against his loyalty, either in word or,
act. While the war was raging, he paid no atten
tion to it whatever, but was busily engaged in lead
mining in the St. Joseph Lead Mines, three miles
from Big River Mills, and about six miles from the
old homestead. In partnership with him was a
young man by the name of Landusky, a kind, indus
trious, inoffensive man, whose loyalty had never
once been doubted. My sister Mary was his affi
anced bride, but her death prevented the marriage.
My brother Henry was a mere boy, only thirteen
years of age. Of course he was too young to have
any political principles ; he was never accused of
being a Rebel; no accusation of any kind had ever
been made against him ; he was peaceable and quiet,
and, like a good boy, he was living with his mother,
and doing the best he could toward supporting her.
True, he was very young to have the charge of such
a farm, but he was a remarkable boy. Turning a
deaf ear to all the rumors and excitements around
him, he industriously applied himself to the accom
plishment of one object, that of taking care of his
mother.
On the 6th day of July, 1862, while my brother
Washington and Mr. Landusky were working in a
drift underground, Capt. Flanche and his company
of cavalry called a halt at the mine, and ordered
them to come up; which they did immediately.
SAMUEL B< HILDEBKAND. 7l
No questions were asked them, and no explana*
tions were given. Flanche merely ordered them to
walk off a few steps toward a tree, which they did ;
he then gave the word "fire 1 " and the whole com
pany fired at them, literally tearing them to pieces 1
I would ask the enlightened world if there ever
was committed a more diabolical deed ? If, in all
the annals of cruelty, or in the world's wide history,
a murder more cold-blooded and cruel could be
found ?
A citizen who happened to be present ventured
to ask in astonishment why this was done ; to which
Flanche merely replied, as he rode off, "they bees
the friends of Sam Hildebrass!"
It was now Capt. Esroger's time to commit some
deed of atrocity, to place himself on an equality
with Capt. Flanche ; so after a moment's reflection,
he concluded that the murder of my uncle, John
Koan, would be sufficient to place his brutality be
yond all question.
John Roan was a man about fifty years of age,
was proverbial for his honesty, always paid his debts,
and kept himself entirely aloof from either side
during the war, but against his loyalty nothing had
ever been produced, or even attempted.
One of his sons was in the Union army, and an
other was a Rebel.
Being my uncle, and the father of Allen Roan,
however, was a sufficient pretext for the display of
military brutality.
His house was situated about three miles from
72 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP
St. Joseph Lead Mines and about the same distance
from the Hildebrand estate.
On the 10th day of July, Capt. Esroger and his
company rode up to his house, and. the old man
came out onto the porch, with his white locks
streaming in the wind, but never once did he dream
of treachery. Esroger told him that he"vosone
tarn prisoner," and detailed six men to guard him
and to march along slowly until they should get
behind.
They did so until they got about a mile from his
house ; there they made him step off six paces, and
while his eyes were turned towards Heaven, and
his hands were slightly raised in the attitude of
prayer, the fatal word " fire" was given, and he fell
to the earth a mangled corpse.
There was still another actor in this bloody trage
dy, who had to tax his ingenuity to the utmost to
select a part in which to out do, if possible, the acts
of atrocity committed by the others. This was Capt.
Adolph.
On the 23rd day of July, Capt. Adolph and his
company with an intermixture of the Vigilance mob,
went to my mother's house — the Hildebrand home
stead — for the purpose of burning it up. The house
was two stories high, built of nice cut stone, and
well finished within, making it altogether one of the
best houses in the county.
The soldiers proceeded to break down the picket
fence, and to pitch it into the house for kindling.
They refused to let anything be taken out of the
SAMUEL S. IIILDEBRAND. 73
house, being determined to burn up the furniture,
clothing, bedding, provisions, and everything else
connected with it..
All things being now ready, the house was set
on fire within, and the flames spread rapidly from
room to room, then through the upper floor, and fi
nally out through the roof. The house, with all the
outer building was soon wrapped in a sheet of fire.
My little brother Henry and an orphan boy about
fourteen years of age, whom my mother had hired
to assist Henry in cultivating the farm, were present
at the conflagration and stood looking on in mute
astonishment. Esroger ordered brother Henry to
leave, but whether he knew it was their intention
to shoot him after getting him a short distance from
the house, as was their custom, it is impossible for
me to say. Probably feeling an inward conscious
ness of never having committed an act to which
they could take exceptions, he did not think that
they would persist in making him go ; so he re
mained and silently gazed at the burning house,
which was the only home he had ever known.
When ordered again to leave, he seemed to be
stupefied with wonder at the enormity of the scene
before him. Franklin Murphy being present told
him it was best to leave ; so he mounted his horse
and started, but before he got two hundred yards
from the house, he was shot and he dropped dead
from the horse. Thus perished the poor innocent
boy, who could not be induced to believe that the
men were base enough to kill him, innocent and in-
74 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
offensive as he was. But alas I how greatly was lie
mistaken in them !
They next burned the large frame barn, also the
different cribs and stables on the premises; then
taking the orphan boy as a prisoner they left.
Some neighbors, a few days afterwards found the
body of my little brother and buried him.
This was the crowning act of Federal barbarity
toward me and the Hildebrand family, instigated by
the low cunning of the infamous Vigilance mob.
I make no apology to mankind for my acts of re
taliation ; I make no whining appeal to the world
for sympathy. I sought revenge and I found it ; the
key of hell was not suffered to rust in the lock while
I was on the war path.
I pity the poor miserable, sniveling creature who
would tamely have submitted to it all.
Such a man would be so low in the scale of hu
man conception; so far beneath the lowest grade of
humanity, that the head even of an Indian would
grow dizzy in looking down upon him.
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 75
CHAPTER IX.
Trip with Burlap and Cato. — Killed a Spy near Bloomfield. —
Visits his Mother on Dry Creek. — Interview with his Uncle. —
Sees the burning of the homestead at a distance.
As yet, I had heard nothing about the atrocities
committed against the remaining members of the
Hildebrand family; but in order to stir up my old
enemies in that-quarter, I selected two good men,
John Burlap and James Cato, to accompany me in
another excursion to St. Francois county, Missouri.
They, too, had been badly treated at the outbreak
of the war, and had several grievances to redress,
for which purpose I promised them my future aid.
We procured Federal uniforms, and started late in
the afternoon of July 13th, 1862; but on arriving at
St. Francis river, we found it out of its banks from
the heavy rains thftt had fallen the day previous.
My comrades were rather reluctant about ventur
ing into the turbid stream amid the floating drift
wood; but I had ever been impressed with the truth
of the old adage, that it was "bad luck to turn
back." I plunged my horse into the stream and
made the opposite shore without much difficulty. I
was followed by Burlap and Cato, who got across
safely, but were somewhat scratched by the drift
wood. We built a fire, dried our clothes, took a
76 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
"snort" from our black bottle, and camped until
morning.
Nothing of interest occurred until we reached the
vicinity of Bloomfield, in Stoddard county, Missouri,
when we met a man in citizen's dress, whom we ac
costed in a very familiar manner, asking him if there
were any Rebels in that vicinity. He stated that
there was a party of Rebels in Bloomfield, and that
we had better make our way back to Greenville to
the command, otherwise we would be sure to fall
into their hands. He stated that he had been with
them all day, pretending that he wanted to enlist ;
that he had learned all about their plans, and
thought that about to-morrow night they would all
be taken in. I inquired if they had not suspicioned
him as a spy ? He answered that they had not ;
that he had completely deceived them. I then
asked him if he did not want to ride behind me and
my companions, by turns, until we reached Green
ville ? He signified his assent by springing up be
hind me. I let him ride about two miles, but not
exactly in the direction of Greenville, for I told him
that I was aiming to strike a certain cross road,
which seemed to satisfy his mind. He had much to
tell us about his exploits as a spy, and that he had
learned the names of all the Rebels in Greenville
and Fredericktown. By this time we had enough.
I told him I was Sam Hildebrand, knocked him off
my horse, and then shot him.
I felt no compunction of conscience for having
ended the days of such a scoundrel. A little notch
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 77
underneath the stock of old " Kill-devil" was made,
to indicate the probability that he would fail to re
port.
On the rest of our trip we traveled altogether in
the* night, and avoided the commission of any act
that would be likely to create a disturbance. We
arrived safely at the house of my brother-in law, on
Flat river, who lives within ten miles of the Hilde-
brand homestead.
Here, for the first time, I heard of the murder of
my brother Washington, also that of my uncle, John
Roan. Mother's house had not yet been burned,
but she had been peremptorily driven from it, and
had sought refuge with her brother, in Jefferson
county. The country was full of soldiers, and the
Vigilance mob were in their glory. Their deeds
would blacken the name of John A. Murrel, the
great land pirate of America, for he never robbed a
lady, nor took the bread from orphan children;
while they unblushingly did both.
On learning these particulars, I determined to go
to Dry Creek for the purpose of seeing my mother,
although the soldiers were scouring the country in
every direction for fifty miles for my destruction.
We started at night, but having to travel, a circuit
ous route, daylight overtook us when within six
miles of my uncle's. We made a circuit, as was my
custom, around a hillside, and then camped in such
a position that we would be close to our pursuers
for half an hour before they could find us.
My companions took a nap while I kept watch.
78 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP
They had not been asleep long before I discovered
a party of men winding their way slowly in the
semi-circle we had made. There were ten of them,
all dressed in Federal uniform. I awakened my
companions, and they took a peep at them as they
were slowly tracking us, at a distance of three hun
dred yards. We could hardly refrain from making
war upon them, the chances being so good for game
and a little fun, but my object was to see my
mother ; so we let them pass on to the place where
our tracks would lead them out of sight for a few
minutes, then we mounted our horses and rode on
to another ridge, making a circuit as before, and
camping within a quarter of a mile of our first am
bush. On coming to that place, the Federals struck
off in another direction, probably finding our tracks
a little too fresh for their safety.
When night came, we made our way cautiously
through the woods to within a few hundred yards of
my uncle's house. I dismounted, and leaving my
horse with my comrades, approached the house care
fully, and climbed upon a bee-gum to peep through
the window. I discovered that there were two
strange men in the room, and I thought I got a
glimpse of another man around in a corner; but as
I leaned a little to one side to get a better view, my
bee-gum tilted over, and I fell with a desperate
crash on a pile of clapboards. I got up in some
what of a hurry, and, at about three bounds, cleared
the picket fence, and deposited myself in the corner
of the garden to await the result.
SAMUEL S. IIILDEBRAND. TO
The noise, of course, aroused the inmates of the
house, and they were soon out with a light, but with
no utensils of war except a short double-barreled
shot-gun, in the hands of my uncle. He inspected
the damage done to his favorite bee-standT and
breathed out some rough threats against the villains
who had attempted to steal his honey. After order
ing his family and the two strangers back into the
house, he posted himself in a fence corner about
thirty yards off, for the purpose of waging war
against the offenders, should they attempt to renew
the attack.
The night not being very dark, I was fearful that
if I attempted to climb over the picket fence, the
old man might pepper me with shot. So I moved
myself cautiously around to the back part of the
garden, and found an opening where a picket was
missing. Through this aperture I succeeded in
squeezing myself, and then crawled around to the
rail fence where my uncle was, until I got within
two panels of the old man, when I ventured to call
him by name, in a very low tone. He knew my
voice, and said : " Is that you, Sam ? " My answer in
the affirmative brought him to where I was, and al
though the fence was between us, we took a hearty
shake of the hand through a crack. He told me
that the two men in the house were Union neigh
bors, who came over to tell him that the trail of a
band of bushwhackers had been discovered about
six miles from there, and that on to-morrow the
whole country would be out in search of them. He
80 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP
told me to go back until his neighbors took their
leave, and then to come in and see my mother, who
was well, but grieving continually about her son
I fell back to my companions, reported progress,
and again took my stand in the fence corner. As
soon as the two neighbors were gone, my uncle
made known to my mother, and to his wife and
daughters, the cause of the disturbance ; the younger
members of the family having retired early in the
night, were all fast asleep. As soon as my uncle
thought it prudent to do so, he came out and invited
us in. Although my mother had received the news
of my visit with a quiet composure, yet, on my ap
proach, she arose silently and started toward me
with a firm step, but in a moment she tottered and
would have fallen, but I caught her in my arms ;
she lay with her head on my bosom for some min
utes, weeping like a child, and I must confess that
now, for the first time since I was a boy, I could not
restrain my tears. My mother broke the silence by
uttering, in broken sentences: "Oh, my dear son!
Have you indeed come to see your mother ? I
thought I would go down with sorrow to my grave,
as I never expected to see you again on earth!"
How my manhood and my iron will left me at that
moment ! How gladly would I have left war and
revenge to the beasts of the forest, and secreted
myself in some quiet corner of the earth, that there,
with my mother and my family, I might once more
take delight in the sweet songs of birds, and in the
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 81
tranquil scenes of life, like those I enjoyed in my
younger days!
My mother became more tranquil, and we talked
over matters with a great deal of satisfaction ; and
my uncle, to divert our minds from a subject too
serious, occasionally poked fun at me, by accusing
me of trying to steal his bee-gum, in which he was
joined by my two comrades. His two daughters
were flying around in the kitchen, and presently
announced a supper for us all. We enjoyed our
selves finely until two o'clock in the night> at which
time we were compelled to leave, in order to secure
a safe retreat from the vigilant search to be made
for us during the following day.
On starting, we rode back on our old trail half a
mile, to where we had crossed a small creek, down
which we rode, keeping all the time in the water,
for about three miles, to a public road leading south,
which we followed about six miles ; then, on com
ing to a rocky place where our horses would make
no tracks, we left the road at right angles and trav
eled in the woods about two miles ; here we made a
semi-circle around a hill, and camped in a command
ing position. My comrades did picket duty while
I slept nearly all day. At night we went to a friend
who lived near my old residence, and from him we
learned that our trail had been discovered on our
way up, that the whole militia force, composed al
most exclusively of my old enemies, together with
some Dutch regulars, were quartered at Big Kiver
Mills ; that the woods were being constantly scoured ;
82 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP
that each ford on Big river was guarded night and
day, and that they considered rny escape impossible.
Before the approach of daylight we secreted our
horses in a deep ravine, covered with brush and
briars, and then hid ourselves underneath a shelving
rock near the top of a high bluff, from which, at a
long distance, we had a view of my mother's house
— the homestead of the Hildebrand family. We re
mained here all day, during which time the house
was surrounded by soldiers, how many I could not
tell, but they seemed to fill the yard and the adjoin
ing inclosures. Presently I saw a dense column of
smoke arise from the house, which told me too
plainly that the Vandals were burning up the home
of my childhood.
The flames presently burst forth through the roof
and lapped out their long, fiery tongues at every
window. The roof fell in, and all that remained of
that superb house was the blackened walls of mas
sive stone.
Gladly would I have thrown myself among those
Yandals, and fought them while I had a drop of
blood remaining; but it would have been madness,
for I would have been killed too soon, and my re
venge would have been ended, while my enemies
would still live to enjoy their pillage.
Immediately after dark we returned to our horses
and commenced our retreat to Arkansas; but in
stead of going south we traveled west about twenty
miles, until we struck on a creek called Forche a?
Renault, in Washington county ; then turning south,
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAXD. 83
we traveled over the wild pine hills west from Po-
tosi, and camped in a secure place between Cale
donia and Webster.
We started on in the evening, and just before
sunset made a raid on a store, getting all we wanted,
including several bottles of "burst-head." We
traveled mostly in the night, followed Black river
down to Current river, crossed at Carter's Ferry, and
made our way safely to Green county, Arkansas.
84 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTER X.
Trip with two men. — Killed Stokes for informing on him. —
Secreted in a cave on Big river. — Vows of vengeance. —
Watched for McGahan. — Tom Haile pleads for Franklin
Murphy. — Tongue-lashed and whipped out by a Woman.
After remaining a few days at headquarters I
commenced making preparations for another trip
against my enemies on Big river. I was yet
ignorant of the murder of my brother Henry, and
knew nothing about the burning of my mother's
house, except what I saw at the distance of a mile,
a few hours before I started back to Arkansas. I
was now fully determined to use the same weapons
upon some of my enemies, and to retaliate by any
and all means placed in my power. I told the boys
my plan. Among those who were present was
Thomas Haile, or "devilish Tom", as he was called,
and as usual, he was spinning some of his laughable
yarns ; but when I spoke the name of Franklin
Murphy as probably connected with the house
burning, he stopped short in his conversation, and
after a moment's reflection he proposed to go with
me to see some of his old friends. To this I readily
consented, and after selecting another man, we
started on our way. "We passed through Stoddard
and then into Wayne county after a man by name
of Stokes. Ho had fed me on my previous trips, inr
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 85
ducing me to believe that he was a substantial
Southern man ; I learned shortly afterwards that he
was laying plans for my capture, and had, more than
once, put the Federals on my trail. Notwithstand
ing I had these statements from good authority, I
was unwilling to take his life until I knew to my
own certain knowledge that he was guilty. I did
not wish to fall into the error, so common among
the Federals, of killing an innocent man to gratify
the personal enmity of some informer.
Just after dark I went to his house alone, he
greeted me in a very cordial manner and remarked :
" Well, Mr. Hildebrand, I'm glad to see you— hope
you are well — and are yet too smart for the Feds."
"Are there any Feds in Greenville ? "
" None, sir, none at all ; I was there to-day ; the
place is entirely clear of the scamps. By the way^
Mr. Hildebrand, are you alone ? "
" Oh yes ; I am taking this trip by myself."
"Glad to assist you, sir; you must stay with me
to-night ; I'll hide you to-morrow in a safe place ;
can go on to-morrow night if you like ; would like
for you to stay longer."
I thanked him for his proffered assistance, but
told him that as I had troubled him so often, I would
go to a neighbor's about a mile off and stay until
the next night. I went back a short distance to
where my men were and waited about an hour.
My two men after putting on the Federal uniform,
rode around the place and approached the house
from another direction ; they rode up in a great
86 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
hurry and called Mr. Stokes out. Tom Haile in a
very confidential tone commenced :
" Well sir ! we are on the hot track of Sam Hilde-
brand ! he is here again ; he robbed a man down on
the Greenville road, five miles below here, about
sunset ; he came in this direction, and we concluded
to ride down to your house thinking that you might
have seen or heard something of him."
" I reckon I have, by George ! Sam Hildebrand
was here not more than an hour ago, and I tried to
detain him ; he was alone and said he was going to
stay until to-morrow night at a certain house ; I
know the place ; hold on a minute ! I'll get my gun
and coat and will go with you — we've got him this
time, sure ! "
"All right," said Tom, "come along; we are always
glad to meet a man of your stripe."
He marched along with the boys until they came
to where I was waiting for them ; Stokes had for
gotten to ask many questions, but on coming up to
me in the dim moonlight he asked, " how many men
have you ? " one of my men answered " twelve. "
He at once began laying plans for my capture, and
related what he had done on previous occasions "to
capture Sam Hildebrand, but that Sam was too
sharp for him." When I thought that he had said
enough I stopped him with the remark — " I am Sam
Hildebrand myself! " and emptied old " Kill-devil "
into his bosom.
We then proceeded on, traveling altogether in the
night, until about day-break ; one morning we got
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 87
near the ruins of the old Hildebrand homestead, and
called at the house of a friend. Knowing that we
were in an enemy's country and liable to be trailed,
we could not sleep, nor could we travel in the day
time, considering the fact that if our enemies got
after us we would have to run about one hundred
and fifty miles to get out of their lines, and that the
government had no less than four thousand men in
active employment all the time for the especial pur
pose of capturing me. We secreted our horses in a
thicket under a bluff and entered a cave near by,
which was afterwards called by my name. Our
friend remained in the cave a few minutes with us,
and it was from him I learned the particulars of the
atrocities committed by the Federal troops, in the
murder of my poor innocent brother Henry.
I shall not attempt to describe my feelings, when
the truth flashed across my mind that all my "broth
ers had been slain in cold blood — Frank, first, and
now the other two — leaving me not a brother upon
earth except my brother William, who was in the
Federal army, but whose well known loyalty was
not sufficient to shield his neutral brothers from an
indiscriminate butchery. For several hours I re
mained quietly in the cave, studying the matter
over ; but finally my mind was made up. I deter
mined to sell my life as dearly as possible, and from
that moment wage a war of fire and blood against
my persecutors, while one should last, or until I was
numbered with the dead.
I hastily gathered my arms ; only one word
88 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
escaped my lips: "Revenge!" sounded and re
echoed from the deepest recesses of the cavern, and
with one wild rush I made for the mouth of the
cave ; but my two men happening to be there,
sprang to their feet and choked up the passage ; but
near it was another outlet — I dashed through it, and
down the steep declivity I hastily made my way,
and mounted my horse. But Haile was close after
me, and before I could pass around a fallen tree he
had my horse by the bridle.
uHold on, Sam! Don't be a fool. If you are
going to throw your life away, you cannot expect to
kill a dozen; if you take your own time you may
kill a thousand ! If I go back without you, what
could I tell your wife and children ? Come, Sam,
you must not forget your duty to them. See how
they have clung to you! 'Light now, and go with
me to the cave."
I have but a faint recollection of going back to
our retreat; but when I awoke it was nearly sunset,
and Tom soon had me laughing in spite of myself.
When night came we moved our position about
five miles, to the residence of William Patton, as he
was a man whom I particularly wanted ; but we
we were unsuccessful ; he was at home when we
first went there, but by some means he succeeded
in eluding our grasp. We left there, and before day
light we had secreted our horses in a thicket on
Turkey Run, a small creek emptying into Big river
above Addison Murphy's, and had stationed our
selves near the residence of Joe McGahan, on the
SAMUEL S. IllLDEBRAND. 89
different roads leading to his house. About eight
o'clock in the morning I concluded that it was fruit
less to watch for him any longer; so I proposed to
repair to Franklin Murphy's residence, which was
not more than a mile from where we were ; but
Tom suggested that we must now return to our
horses and consult as to our future movements.
We found our horses all right ; but when I ex
pressed a desire to stir up Franklin Murphy for
being present at the burning of my mother's house,
and several other little incidents that led me to
think strangely of his conduct, Tom Haile replied:
"I do not believe that he sanctioned, in any man
ner, the outrages of which you speak; he could not
rescue your brother Frank from the hands of a mob
who seemed to have the sanction of public opinion;
he could not prevent an army of soldiers, acting
under the command of another man, from burning
the house, nor from killing your brother Henry. Once
for all, let me tell you that it will never do for you
to attempt to harm that man. He is a member of a
certain Order, that dates back for thousands of
years ; the members are bound together by an ob
ligation to watch over each other's interests, and to
shield each other, as much as possible, from any
impending danger."
Tom was so sincere, and looked so serious — which
was not common with him — that I told him I never
would harm one of them, if I knew it, unless it was
in self-defense.
We now thought it best to make our way back to
90 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
Arkansas. We passed through Farmington and
Fredericktown on the following night, and then
camped in the woods until evening. We started
before night; in order to capture some fresh horses.
Dressed in Federal uniforms, we were riding
along the road in Madison county, when on passing
a farm, 1 saw a fine looking horse in a lot near the
house. I halted my men, dismounted and went up
to the horse to catch him, but he was a little shy,
and kept his head as far from me as possible.
While I was thus trying to get a halter on the
spirited animal, a woman stepped onto the porch
and bawled out :
" See here ! What are you trying to do ? "
"I'm trying to catch this horse."
" Let him alone, you good-for-nothing ! Don't you
look pretty, you miserable scamp, trying to steal my
only horse ? "
" Yes, madam, but I'm afraid you are a rebel."
"I am a rebel, sir, and I'm proud of it 1 I have
two sons in the rebel army, and if I had six more
they should all be in it. You white-livered, insig
nificant scum of creation I you had better let him
alone. Why, you are worse than Sam Hildebrand!
He wouldn't take the last horse from a poor widow
woman ! "
By this time I had caught the horse, but as soon
as the woman made that last remark, I pulled the
halter off, begged her pardon and left.
On getting to headquarters, Tom never let me rest
about that adventure.
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 91
CHAPTER XL
Another trip to Missouri. — Fight near Fredencktown. — Horse
shot from under him. — Killed four Soldiers. — Went into their
camp at Fredericktown and stole four horses. — Flight toward
the South.— Robbed "Old Crusty."— Return to Arkansas.
While I was recruiting at our headquarters in
Green county, Arkansas, Oapt. Bolin and most of
his men returned to rest themselves for a while.
Of course our time passed off agreeably, for we all
had so much to say, and so much to listen to, that
the mind was actively engaged all the time, render
ing it impossible for time to drag heavily.
Having thoroughly rested myself, on the 25th day
of August I selected three men, and we started* on
a trip to St. Francois county, Missouri, Nothing
unusual occurred until we arrived in Madison
county. On getting within about eight miles of
Fredencktown, daylight overtook us, and we stop
ped at an old friend's house for breakfast, who had
always treated us kindly, for I had stopped with him
several times on my previous trips. He stated to us
that there were no troops in Fredericktown. Upon
receiving this information, from a source, as we sup
posed, so reliable, we felt quite free, and resolved
to make our journey on that day to my old home on
Big river. So, after getting our breakfast and feed
ing our horses, we made our way quietly to our
92 AUTGUKHiKAPIiY OF
usual place of crossing the gravel road leading from
the Pilot Knob to Fredericktown, when we were
suddenly fired on from the brush by about fifty sold
iers. Fortunately for us, we had not kept the
usually travelled path that crossed the road at the
place where the soldiers were stationed in ambush;
consequently we were about two hundred yards
from them, and none of us were hurt, though my
horse was shot from under me ; the ball that pierced
his chest, passing through my pantaloons, slightly
burning my knee.
At the word from me my three men whirled into
the brush, and we retreated back in the direction
from which we came, my men on horses and myself
on foot. I was still lame from the effects of the
wound received at Flat Woods, but we made good
time, and effected our escape. On getting about a
mile, I ordered my men to hitch their horses in a
thicket, and we would hold the place if they under
took to follow us. After waiting for some time and
not hearing from them, we concluded to make our
way cautiously back to where we had been fired
upon, and try to get a shot. We crept slowly up,
and saw six or seven men near the place, but we
could not get close enough from the side we were
on ; so we made our way in the direction of Pilot
Knob about a mile, crossed the gravel road behind
a hill, and came up on the opposite side.
We got in sight of them just in time to see a
party ride up, leading our three horses; at this, I
concluded to try one of them at long ran$e, seeing
SAMUEL S. IIILDKBRAND. 93
distinctly from our position that we could get no
closer without exposing ourselves too much. I
pulled off old "Kill-devil" at one of them who wore
shoulder-straps ; at the crack of the gun the gentle
man got a very hard fall, which, I am fearful, killed
him. At this they concluded to follow us into our
native woods, for which they paid very dearly.
They made a dash on us, which caused us to scatter
in different directions, to divide their party up into
several squads. Each one of us took a course
through the woods in the roughest places we could
find, which rendered it very difficult for them to fol
low. I stopped at every place, such as fallen
timber, steep banks and high rocks, to get a pop at
them, and would be off again in a different direc
tion. Sometimes I was in front, sometime* at one
side, and frequently in the rear. I was pleased to
see them have so much pluck, for it afforded old
"'Kill-devil" an opportunity to howl from every
knob and dense thicket in the wild woods until
about one o'clock in the evening, when they gave
up the chase and quit the unequal fight.
On meeting my men, at dark, on the top of a cer
tain high hill designated by me in the morning, I
had four new notches on the stock of old "Kill-
devil," indicating by that rough record that four
more of my enemies had gone to that land where
the righteous would cease from troubling them or
making them afraid. Two of my men had killed a
man apiece, and the other had made what we call
in fishing " a water haul." I suppose, however, that
9i AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
he betook himself into some secure corner to medi
tate on the uncertainty of all human affairs until
the danger was over.
The Federals, on the next day, started in search of
us with three or four hundred men ; but their num
bers being so great, we did not make war upon them
that day. At night it rained very hard, and whilst
it was raining we went into Fredericktown; finding
all things quiet about camp, we managed to steal a
h.orse apiece from them, but did not get the saddles
and bridles, as we were in a huny. We got about
thirty miles on our way back to Arkansas before
morning — each of my men riding bare backed, with
only a halter for a bridle. I stopped, however, at
the old gentleman's where we had got breakfast, for
the purpose of having a small settlement with him,
as he had deceived us in regard to the soldiers at
Fredericktown, and, as we believed, had reported
us, for we noticed that his son, a lad about fifteen
years old, had rode off while we were eating our
breakfast on that morning. I stopped, but the old
man was not at home> so I took an old saddle and
bridle from him, and went on to Arkansas, leaving
the Federals to hunt for us, which we were told they
kept up about ten days.
Before reaching Arkansas, however, for the pur
pose of laying in our winter's supplies, we diverged
about twenty miles from our usual course to pay our
respects to an old Union man living at the cross
roads, who'had caused the expulsion of two families
from the neighborhood by reporting on them.
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 95
He still had the remnants of what had once been
a full country store. No Federal soldiers happened
to be near the premises at the time, so we rode up
to his house about sunset, and while I left one man
at his door to prevent any one from leaving the
house, we went with the old crusty fellow to the
store. He was not disposed to be accommodating,
but we bought everything that we could put upon
our horses and upon a mule that we borrowed of
him, and, after telling him to charge it to Uncle
Sam, with the Big river mob for security, we left,
and before morning were out of the reach of danger.
On reaching camp, we relieved the needy, not for
getting the two families that " Old Crusty " had
driven from his neighborhood.
96 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTER XII.
Trip with three men. — Captured a Spy and shot him. — Shot
Scaggs. — At night charged a Federal camp of one hundred
men. — Killed nine men. — Had one man wounded. — Came
near shooting James Craig. — Robbed Bean's store and re
turned to Arkansas.
My family still remained in Cook settlement, in
St. Francois county, Mo., and as they were in the
enemy's country, I did not think it prudent to pay
them a visit, knowing that it would only bring ruin
upon them if the fact of my visit should ever be
come known to the Unionists in that county. But I
determined by some means or other to effect their
escape to Arkansas as soon as it would be prudent
to make the attempt. Capt. Bolin and hi* men had
promised me their co-operation if called upon for
that purpose ; but I was well aware that our whole
force would be insufficient for the accomplishment
of the object, if attempted by force of arms, for two
or three thousand men could be brought against me
in less than twenty-four hours.
To keep myself well posted in regard to the
strength of the enemy along the route, I selected
three of Quantril's men, and^in the latter part of
September, started on another raid into Missouri.
On arriving at the St. Francis river we found it swim
ming, but made no halt on that account, having by
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 97
this time become inured to all kinds of hardships
and dangers.
On the second day after we started we left the
main road and diverged several miles to our right,
for the purpose of traveling in day time. On get*
ting within sight of a house we discovered some one
run into the yard, and immediately afterwards we
saw a little boy running toward a barn. The move
ment being a little suspicious, we dashed forward and
were soon on each side of the barn. We discovered
a man through a crack, and demanded his surrender;
he came to the door and threw up his hands. On
taking him back into the barn, we discovered his
bundle to contain a complete Federal uniform, and
when we noticed that the citizen's dress which he
had on was much too small for him, we at once pro
nounced him a Federal spy. We found a letter in
his pocket, written by a man by the name of Scaggs,
to the authorities at Fredericktown, containing the
names of his rebel neighbors, whom he was desir
ous of having burned out. One of the men in the
list I happened to know, and by that means I knew
that Scaggs lived about seven miles from there. We
took the spy half a mile and shot him, then, chang
ing our course, we started on the hunt for Scaggs,
whose residence, however, we did not find until
after dark. Dressed in Federal uniform, we rode up
to the gate and called him out. On arresting him
we took him to the house of a friend, who told us
that Scaggs had already made two widows in that
neighborhood by reporting their husbands. We took
98 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
him with us until daylight appeared, hung him to a
limb in the woods, and made our way toward Castor
creek, in Madison county.
The next night, on crossing Castor creek, we dis
covered a camp of Federals; judging them to be
about twenty or thirty strong, we concluded to
charge them for a few minutes ; but on getting into
their camp we found that there were three or four
times as many as we expected; so we charged on
through as quick as possible, still two of our horses
were killed and one of my men was slightly wounded
in the fleshy part of his thigh. After getting through
their camp, we captured the four pickets who were
placed in a lane on the opposite side. As we came
from the wrong direction, they mistook us for their
own men, until we had taken them in. My two men
who had lost their horses, now mounted those taken
.from the pickets. As soon as the pickets told us
that they were Leeper's men, we shot them and
hurried on.
On our return, at another time, we were told by
the citizens that we killed five and wounded several
more in our charge through their camp ; making nine
men killed, including the pickets.
My wounded man could not be kept in Missouri
with any degree of safety, and according to the
usage of the petty tyrants who commanded the little
squads of Federals, it would have been death to any
man under whose roof the wounded man might
have taken refuge; the man, without any questions
asked, would have been shot, his house and prop-
SAMUEL S. HiLDKBRAND. 99
erty burned, and his wife and children turned out
into the world, houseless, forlorn and destitute. To
avoid the infliction of such a calamity upon any of
our friends, my wounded man was under the neces
sity of making his way alone back into Arkansas.
My other two men and myself traveled the re
mainder of the night in the direction of my old home
in St. Francois county. I learned that a prolonged
effort was made on the following day to trail us up
to our camp in the woods ; but a rain having fallen
about daylight, our tracks were entirely destroyed.
On the following night we made our way to the
house of a friend, near the ruins of my once happy
home. Here I remained, resting myself and scout
ing over the country on foot, two whole days and
nights, trying to shoot some of the miscreants who
had belonged to the old mob, but they kept them
selves so closely huddled that I had no chance at
them.
On the second day, however, while lying near the
road, James Craig, captain of the mob — which by
this time had assumed the name of Militia — with
two men whom I did not recognize, came along, rid
ing very fast. I got a bead on Craig, but my gun
did not fire ; and I will say here, that this was the
only time during the war that old " Kill-devil " de
ceived me.
On returning to my friend near my old home, he
stated to me that our horses, which we had con
cealed in a nook in one of the bluffs of Big river,
had been discovered by some boys who were hunt-
100 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
ing, and that they had gone to report to the militia.
Upon receiving this intelligence, we started at once
to our horses, found them all right, and, not being
satisfied with the results of our trip, we concluded
to obtain some supplies from our good Union friends
before leaving. We got on Flat river about the
middle of the afternoon, and rode up to a store kept
by the sons of John Bean, one of whom be
longed to the Vigilance mob—but he was not there.
The boys had sense enough to make no demon
stration, so, without damaging anything whatever, I
took such things as we needed, in part payment for
my property which the mob had destroyed.
The boys looked a little displeased ; they consid
ered us bad customers, and did not even take the
trouble to book the articles against us.
The militia, having received the report of the
boys, mustered their whole force and, on the follow
ing day, struck our trail and overtook us between
Pilot Knob and Fredericktown ; they followed us
about ten miles, but only got sight of us occasion
ally on the tops of hills we had to pass over. Night
came, and we neither saw nor heard them any more.
We traveled all night and about daylight we rode
up to the house of a man named Slater, in the south
ern part of Wayne county, Missouri, for whom we
had been watching for some time. He had made
himself very busy ever since the beginning of the
war by reporting Southern men. He succeeded in-
having several of them imprisoned, and their fami
lies impoverished. We found him at home ; his
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND, 101
manhood wilted like a cabbage leaf; we took him
about a mile from home and shot him.
We then pursued our way home to Green county,
Arkansas, and divided our spoils amongst the desti
tute families driven there by the ruthless hands of
Northern sympathizers.
102 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTER XIII.
The Militia Mob robs the Hildebrand estate— Trip with ten
men. — Attacks a Government train with an escort of twenty
men. — Killed two and put the others to flight.
Directly after the termination of my last trip, cer
tain events transpired in St. Francois county of
which it is necessary that the reader should be in
formed. I have already stated that the infamous
Vigilance mob finally came to a head by the organ
ization of its worst material into a militia company
with James Craig for captain and Joe McGahan for
first lieutenant. As Craig could neither read nor
write, and did not know his alphabet from a spotted
mule, the lieutenant was actually the head and front
of the marauders. Their design in assuming the
form and style of a militia company was merely for
the purpose of legalizing their acts of plunder. They
did not pretend to take the field against the Rebels,
or to strike a single blow in defense of the State or
anything else. While drawing their pay from the
government, they spent their time hunting hogs,
sheep, and cattle belonging to other people.
Having killed all my brothers but one (and he
was in the Union army where they could not reach
him), they proceeded to divide the property of the
Hildebrand estate among themselves. Mother,
though decidedly a Union woman originally, they
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAM). 103
had long since driven off to Jefferson county, with
nothing but her bed and Bible. The homestead had
been burned, yet there was an abundance of stock
belonging to the estate, and a large field of standing
corn.
They collected the stock and gathered the corn,
and then proceeded to divide it among themselves.
In this division they disagreed very much; a ques
tion arose whether an officer was entitled to any
more than a private, and a feW of them went home
declaring that they would not have anything if they
could not get their share.
At the very time this valorous militia company
had stacked their muskets against the fence and
were chasing mother's sheep and pigs around
through the dog fennel, I was capturing a govern
ment train and getting my supplies in an honorable
manner.
About the first of November, 1862. having learned
that the Federals were in the habit of hauling their
army supplies to Bloomfield from Cape Girardeau
on the Mississippi river, Capt. Bolin and myself de
termined to lay in our supplies from the same
source.
We took ten men and started with about ten days'
rations. Arriving on a stream called White Water,
which, with Castor creek, forms the Eastern fork of
St. Francis river, we concealed ourselves in an un
frequented part of the woods. It was necessary that
we should be thoroughly posted in regard to the ex-
104 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
pected time of the arrival of the train, and the prob
able strength of the escort
I undertook this delicate mission disguised as a
country farmer, in search of a stray mule. Without
my gun I made my way on foot to the vicinity of a
mill and there concealed myself near a road to await
the arrival of some one going to mill. Presently a
man came along with a carl and oxen, but I let him
pass, fearing that my questions might arouse his sus
picions. «
I remained there nearly an hour for some boy to
pass ; at length I saw one at a distance coming slow
ly along, riding on his sack and whistling little frag
ments of " John Brown." I stepped into the road
before he got near me and walked along until I met
him. I asked about my mule, but of course he knew
nothing about him. I told him that I had concluded
to hunt no further, but that I was anxious to return
to Bloomfield if I could only meet with a convey
ance for I was tired of walking so much* He told
me that the government wagons would pass there on
the following day and perhaps I could get a ride. I
told him that I would be afraid to do that for the
Rebels might capture me ; he said that there was
no danger of that, for twenty soldiers always went
with the wagons.
I returned to my comrades with all the informa
tion we wanted, and we soon settled all our prelim
inary arrangements for the attack. After dark we
took the road along which we knew they were to
pass; we selected a place called the Round Pond,
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 105
and secreted ourselves in a clump of heavy timber
through which the soldiers could not see, in order
that they might imagine the woods full of Rebels.
Night passed and the morning hours wore away,
when at length we saw two government wagons
coming^ and in the sunlight sure enough, twenty
bayonets were gleaming.
We suddenly broke from the woods with a great
shout, and dashed in among them with all the noise
we could make. We fired a few shots, killing two
and causing the remainder to break for the woods
in every direction. The sole object of our trip being
to get supplies of clothing, ammunition, etc., we felt
no disposition to hunt them down, but let them con
tinue their flight without any pursuers.
We unhitched the horses and packed them with
such things as we needed ; after which we burned
the wagons and evjery thing else we could not take
with us.
On starting back we went through Mingo Swamp
and made our way safely to St. Francis river, which
we found out of its banks. With a great deal of
difficulty we succeeded in swimming the river with
our train, but with the loss of one man named Banks,
who unfortunately was drowned. Becoming en
tangled in a drift of grape vines and brush, he
drowned before we could render him anv assistance.
106 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTER XIV.
Federal cruelties. — A defense of "Bushwhacking." — Trip with
Capt. Bolin and nine men. — Fight at West Prairie. — Started
with two men to St. Francois county. — Killed a Federal
soldier.— Killed Ad. Cunningham. — Capt. Walker kills Capt.
Barnes, and Hildebrand kills Capt. Walker.
On arriving at headquarters we busied ourselves
for several weeks in building houses to render our
selves as comfortable as possible during the coming
winter. Our headquarters were on Crawley's Ridge,
between the St. Francis river and Cash creek, in
Green county, Arkansas. It was a place well adap
ted to our purpose, affording as it did a safe retreat
from a large army encumbered with artillery.
Many of Capt. Bolin's men had* their families with
them, and our little community soon presented a
considerable degree of neatness and comfort. I
could have contented myself longer at this quiet
place, but our scouts were constantly bringing us
rumors of fresh barbarities committed by the differ
ent Federal bands who were infesting the country
in Southeast Missouri, making it their especial aim
to arrest, burn out, shoot and destroy all those
peaceable citizens who from the beginning had
taken no part in the war.
They were especially marked out for destruction
who had been known to shelter "Sam Hildebrand,
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 107
the Bushwhacker," as they were pleased to call me.
If any man should happen to see me passing along
the road, and then should fail to report the same at
headquarters, regardless of the distance, he was
taken out from his house and shot, without even the
shadow of a trial to ascertain whether he was guilty
or not. An old man, with his head silvered over by
the frosts of seventy winters, who had served his
country in many a hard fought battle before his tor
mentors were born, and who now hoped to go down
the declivity of life in peace and security, found
himself suddenly condemned and shot for disloy
alty, because he generously took a stranger into his
house for the night, who afterwards proved to be
"the notorious Sam Hildebrand."
These same miscreants, however, would call at
any house they pleased, and, by threats, compel
even women, in the absence of their husbands, to
cook the last morsel of food in the house, scraped
together by poor feeble women to keep their chil
dren from starving to death.
Did I ever do that ? No, never ! Did I ever pun
ish a man for feeding a Federal ? Did I ever shoot
a man for not reporting to me the fact of having
seen a Federal pass along the road ? If that was
really my mode of proceeding, I would deserve the
stigma cast upon my name.
My enemies say that I am a " Bushwhacker."
Very well, what is a " Bushwhacker ? " He is a man
who shoots his enemies. What is a regular army
but a conglomerate mass of Bushwhackers ? But
108 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
we frequently conceal ourselves in the woods, and
take every advantage ! So do the regular armies.
But a Bushwhacker will slip up and shoot a man in
the night ! Certainly, and a regular army will slip
up and shoot a thousand.
But a Bushwhacker lives by plundering his ene
mies ! So did Sherman in Georgia, and a host of
others, with this difference : That I never charged
my government with a single ration, while they did
so at all times. Besides, I never made war upon
women and children, neither did I ever burn a
house ; while the great marching, house-burning,
no battle hero, turned his attention to nothing else.
In fact, the "Independent Bushwhacking Depart
ment " is an essential aid in warfare, particularly in
a war like ours proved to be. There are a class of
cowardly sneaks, a gang of petty oppressors — like
the Big river mob — who can be reached in no other
way. A large regular army might pass through
where they were a dozen times without ever finding
one of them.
As I stated before, barbarities were committed by
a certain band of Federals, that warranted our in
terference.
Capt. Bolin, myself and nine other men mounted
our horses and started on another trip, about the
first day of December, 1862.
We crossed the St. Francis, and traveled several
nights, until we reached West Prairie, in Scott
county, Missouri, where we came upon a squad of
SAMUEL S. HILDEB11AND. 109
Federals, thirty in number, like an old-fashioned
earthquake.
Imagining themselves perfectly safe, they had
placed out no pickets ; so we ran suddenly on them,
and before they had time to do any fighting they
were so badly demoralized they knew not how to
fight.
We killed four, wounded several more, and
charged on through their camp, as was our custom;
in half an hour we returned to renew the attack,
but found nobody to fight.
In our first charge, we caused several of their
horses to break loose, which we afterwards got. We
had one man wounded, having been shot through
the thigh with a Minnie ball. Capt. Bolin and six
men took the wounded man back with them to Ar
kansas, while Henry Resinger, George Lasiter and
myself started on a trip to St. Francois county.
One morning, just at daylight, we found ourselves
on the gravel road leading from Pilot Knob to
Fredericktown, and about seven miles from the
latter place. We concealed ourselves in a thicket
and watched the road until evening before we saw
an enemy. A squad of eight Federals came sud
denly in sight, riding very fast. I hailed them, to
cause a momentary halt, and we fired. One fell to
the ground, but the others hastened on until they
were all out of sight. While we were examining
our game (the dead man), we discovered three more
in the distance, who seemed to have got behind the
party, and were riding rapidly to overtake them ;
110 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
at this we divided, taking our stations in two differ
ent places for the purpose of taking them in. On
coming nearer we discovered that they were not
dressed in Federal uniform. We took them prison
ers and ascertained that they were Southern sym
pathizers from near Fredericktown, who had been
imprisoned at the Knob for several weeks, but hav
ing been released they were on their way home.
While we were thus parleying with them, asking
questions relative to the forces at the different mili
tary posts in the country, the party we had fired
into now returned with a much larger force, and
suddenly we found ourselves nearly surrounded by
a broken and scattered line on three sides of us, at
a distance of only one hundred yards. The odds
were rather against ns> being about sixty men
against three. I called quickly to my men to follow
me, and we dashed for the uncompleted part of their
circle. On seeing this movement they dashed rap
idly toward that part and closed the line ; but when
I started toward that point it was the least of my
intentions to get out at that place ; I wheeled sud
denly around and went out in the rear, contrary to
their expectations, followed by my men, shooting as
we ran, until we had gained some distance in the
woods ; having the advantage of the darkness that
was now closing in upon us, and being on foot, we
escaped from the cavalry, who were tangled up in
the brush, and were making the woods resound
with their noise.
We luckily escaped unhurt, although there were
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. Ill
at least fifty shots fired at us. I received two bullet
holes through the rim of my hat, and one through
the sleeve of my coat, and one of my men got a
notch in his whiskers. We were not certain of hav
ing hurt any of the Federals as we passed out of
their lines. We kept together and returned to our
horses ; after a short consultation we mounted and
rode back to get a few more shots at them, at long
range ; but when we got to the battlefield we found
no one there. Toward Fredericktown we then
made our way, until we got in sight of the place,
but saw nothing of the soldiers. During the night
we visited several friends, and several who were not
friends, but did no harm to any one, there being
only two men at that time in the vicinity whom we
wanted to hang, and they were not at home. On
the next day we tore down the telegraph wire on
the road to Pilot Knob, and stationed ourselves
about a mile from town for the purpose of bush
whacking the Federals when they should come to fix
it up ; but they were getting cunning, and sent out
some Southern sympathizers for that purpose, and
we did not hurt them. But I made a contract with
one of them for ammunition, and in the evening,
when we had again torn the wire down, he came out
to fix it up, and brought me a good supply of powder
and lead.
From him we learned that a general movement
against us was to be made by the troops, both at
Fredericktown and the Knob, on the following day.
I knew that the whole country between there
112 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
and Arkansas was in the hands of the Federals. 1
knew also that they had learned my trick of invari
ably making a back movement toward Arkansas,
immediately after creating an excitement.
As they seemed not likely to hunt the same coun
try over twice, I concluded to go north of the road
and wait a few days until the southern woods were
completely scoured, and thus rendered safe for our
return.
V/hile waiting for this to be done, I thought it a
good opportunity to hunt up a man by the name of
Cunningham, who had been living in the vicinity of
Bloomfield. During the early part of the war he
professed to be a strong Southern man, and had been
of some service to our cause as a spy ; but during
the second year of the rebellion he changed his
plans and became to us a very dangerous enemy,
and was very zealous in reporting both citizens and
soldiers to the Federal authorities.
Our intention on this trip was to arrest and take
him to Col. Jeffries' camp, ten miles south of Bloom-
field, that he might be dealt with by the Colonel as
he might see proper.
On gaining the vicinity of Farmington, where
Cunningham now lived, we learned that he was
carrying on his oppressive measures with a high
hand, and was very abusive to those whom he had
in his power.
It is said that he even robbed his own brother,
Burril Cunningham, and suffered him to be abused
unmercifully by the squad of men under his com-
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 113
mand. On reaching the Valle Forge we struck his
trail and followed on toward Farmington ; but some
Federals got upon our trail,' and would have over
taken us before we reached town, if a friend had not
deceived them in regard to the course we had taken*
We found Cunningham at his own house, and
when we approached the door I- demanded his sur
render ; he attempted to draw a revolver, and I shot
him through the heart.
Having accomplished our object, we now returned
to Bloomfield and reported to Col. Jeffries. We re
mained there about three weeks.
On the 5th day of^ January, .1863, Capt. Reuben
Barnes requested me and my two men to assist him
in capturing* a man by the name of Oapt. Walker,
who had a command in the Federal army, and was
now supposed to be at his* home, about six miles
from there.
On approaching the house, Walker ran out, hold
ing his pistols in his hands. As we were near
enough, we ordered him to surrender, at which he
turned around and faced us. On getting a little
nearer, he suddenly shot Capt. Barnes, and started
to run. Our'dh-ase was soon ended, for I shot him
dead.
We took Capt. Barnes back to Bloomiiekl, where
he died 'the same day. We then returned *to Green
county, Arkansas, and went into winter quarters.
114 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTER XV.
Started alone. — Rode off a bluff and killed his horse. — Fell in
with twenty-five Rebels under Lieutenant Childs. — Went
with them. — Attacked one hundred and fifty Federals at Bel
linger's Mill. — Henry Resinger killed. — William Cato. — Went
back to Fredericktown. — Killed a man. — Robbed Abright's
store.
On the 23d day of January, 1863, 1 started alone
on a trip to Missouri, for the purpose of making
some arrangements for the escape of my family to
Arkansas. I got along very well until the second
night ; then as I was riding over a brushy ridge I
was suddenly hailed by "Who comes there?"
I halted and in an instant became aware of my
close proximity to a Federal camp. I instantly
wheeled my horse in the woods to the right; dashed
furiously down a steep hill side for a short distance,
and then in the darkness plunged over a precipice
eight or ten feet high. My horse fell among some
rocks and was killed, but I was precipitated a few
feet further into a deep hole of water in some creek.
I was a little confused in my ideas for a while, but
I had sense enough to crawl up out of the deep wa
ter ; as I stood there with my dripping clothes I
heard some of the soldiers coming down the hill to
ward me ; so I crossed the creek and took up the
hill on the other side. I was now completely out of
their clutches and could easily have made my es-
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 115
cape ; but I had Jeft my gun in the deep hole, and
the thought of leaving "Kill-devil" in that predica
ment was more than I could bear.
In a few minutes the soldiers left and went back
up the hill. I now slipped back cautiously and
got into the water to recover my gun. The water was
deep and cold ; however, I waded in nearly up to
my chin and felt around with my feet for the gun. I
got my foot under it finally and raised it up ; but I
had no sooner got it into my hands than I saw five
or six soldiers returning with a light. As they were
making their way down through a crevice in the
bluff, some ten steps above the rock from which I
had been precipitated, I had just time to wade down
the creek, which was now only a few inches deep in
places, and secrete myself behind a cluster of wil
lows that hung over the edge of the steep bank
about twenty yards below.
The Federals remained ten or fifteen minutes,
walking around my dead horse, and around the hole
of water. They threw the glare of their lantern in
every direction, and though I was completely hid
from their observation, I must acknowledge that as
I stood there in the water, shivering with cold, hold
ing my dripping gun, I felt more like anything else
in the world than a major. Finally they struck the
trail that I had made up the hill with my dripping
clothes and each one of them went in pursuit.
Taking this opportunity I slowly left my retreat
and waded down the creek for a long distance. I
climbed up the hill on the same side on which the
116 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
Federals were camped ; 1 made a wide circuit around
them and came into the road, some four or five miles
ahead. I walked rapidly to keep myself warm, and
just before the break of day I arrived at the house
of a friend, wet, hungry, and on foot. I was soon
supplied with everything I wanted ; my gun was
well attended to, and when morning came " Kill-
devil" looked rather brighter than usual.
I started on in the direction of Fredericktown and
fell in with twenty-five Rebel boys, commanded by
Lieut. Ohilds, who asked me to take command of his
men and give the Federals a " whack" at Bellinger's
Mill, on Castor creek.
That locality for some time had been a place of
rendezvous for Southern recruits ; that fact being
well-known, the Federals concluded to station some
men there. They were known to be about one hund
red and fifty strong, but I consented on condition
that his men all take an oath never to surrender un
der any circumstances. After the oath was admin
istered we marched to the place above mentioned,
arriving there about eleven o'clock at night, on the
4th of February. We succeeded in capturing their
pickets, made a charge on their camp, fought them
for about five minutes (or until they got ready to
fight) ; killed twenty-two of their number as we-
were informed afterwards, and at the word we
marched out on double-quick time. We took four
prisoners with us and got some important informa
tion from them, but finding that they were not MQ.:
Neal's men we released them all.
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 117
We lost one man killed, Henry Resinger, and three
badly wounded, who recovered.
We carried the wounded with us in our retreat,
and at daylight we all started for Mingo Swamp.
The Federals followed us, and as our march was
retarded by our wounded ; they made their way
around and charged us, striking our columns at right
angles, they divided our line-cutting off seven of my
men, whom they took prisoners.
In this little skirmish I lost one man, and killed
three of the Federals, at which they left our trail and
permitted us to make our way to St. Francis river,
which we were compelled to swim.
We got one horse drowned, but got over safely
without any other accident, struck camp and com
menced getting our breakfast, dinner and supper,
all the same meal. Presently some one from the
opposite shore called for us to bring him a horse.
From his voice we knew him to be William Cato,
one of the seven who had been taken as a prisoner.
One of my men swam over to him with a horse, and
when he had arrived safely in camp, he informed us
that six of the prisoners were shot, and that he had
made his escape by dodging them in the brush. He
was barefooted, and had torn nearly all his clothing
off.
We afterwards learned that the officer in command
at Bollinger's Mill was Capt. Leeper from Ironton,
Missouri.
Not being satisfied with my trip, I did not remain
but one week in camp, before I selected two men
118 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
and started back to Missouri to make another effort
towards getting my family to Arkansas. On getting
to Fredericktown we found the place full of sold-'
iers. In that town there lived a Dutchman, whose
meddlesome disposition led him to be very zealous
in the cause of putting soldiers on the track of pri
vate citizens. It seems that he never left town, and
that it would be impossible to kill him unless it
were done in public.
After night I layed off my coat, and gathering up
a saw buck, which I found at a wood pile, I walked
straight across a street or two, until I reached the
door, thinking thereby not to attract any particular
attention ; but on being told that he was not at
home, I carried myself out of town as soon as cir
cumstances would permit, got with my two men and
started on toward Farmington. When morning be
gan to approach we left the road several miles and
secreted ourselves on a certain hill, for a friend
on whom we had called during the night told us
that the military authorities were aware of my
presence in the neighborhood, and that they had se
cured the services of two or three good woodsmen
to aid in tracking me up.
About one o'clock in the afternoon we discovered
a man tracking us slowly aruond our steep hill, look
ing cautiously ahead, holding his gun in a position
to raise and fire in an instant. The ground was hard
and our horses were not easily trailed, but our pur
suer kept moving along very slowly. We were at a
loss to kn-ow whether he was really a brave man or
SAMUEL S. HlLDEBftAND. 119
a natural fool. Not coming to any definite conclu
sion however, I concluded to make my way down
the hill a little to gratify his curiosity by letting him
find me, I wounded him severely on purpose to
let him see me, but he yelled so loud that I had to
kill him with my knife, for I wanted " peace" about
that time.
We heard some horsemen coming, so we hastened
away from there and secreted ourselves in a thicket
on Wolf creek, near the residence of John Griffin.
Here I learned that my wife had procured a little
wagon and a small yoke of oxen, with which to
move to Arkansas ; that she started with the family
on the 16th day of February, and by this time was
in the vicinity of Bloomfield.
At night we went out on the plank road leading
from Farmington to Ste. Genevieve and fired into a
camp of Federals ; we could not get near enough to
do them any harm, but wished to draw them out to
hunt for us ; but in this we failed and had to abandon
the project.
From there we went to the junction of the Pilot
Knob and Iron Mountain roads, and robbed a store
belonging to a Dutchman by the name of Abright.
We patronized him very liberally and started back
to Arkansas with all the goods we could pack.
At this stage of the war the Federals held pos
session of all the principal places in Southeast Mis
souri. Bloomfield was also held by them, and there
was no doubt in my mind but what my familv was
now in their hands.
120 AUTOBIOGRAPHY 01'
While passing through Stoddard county, the Fed
erals overtook us, and run us so closely that we
were compelled to throw off a part of our loads ;
on arriving at St. Francis river we found it guarded.
Our only chance was to whip the Federals,
and we determined to try it. We retreated into a
dense cane brake and then commenced upon them.
We killed three of their men on the second round
and then they fled. We got home safely and were
again prepared " to clothe the naked and feed the
hungry."
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND, 121
CHAPTER XVI.
Started to Bloomfield with three men. — Fight at St. Francis
River. — Starts on alone. — Meets his wife and family. — They
had been ordered off from Bloomfield.— Capture and release
of Mrs. Hildebrand. — Fight in Stoddard county. — Arrival in
Arkansas.
For the purpose of getting my family to Arkan
sas, it was necessary that I should make a trip to
Bloomfield, although that place was now held by a
large Federal force under McNeal.
I started with three good men, crossed the St.
Francis river at a shoal, but we had not proceeded
more than ten miles when we ran into a company of
McNeal's men, who instantly fired upon us, slightly
wounding one of my men in -the fleshy part, of his
arm.
We thought it best for four men to retreat from
the fire of nearly one hundred, which we did, in
double-quick time. They pursued us very closely,
but were at too great a distance for them to shoot
us.
Wishing to get a few shots at them, we concluded
to cross the river and give them a fight from the
other side ; so we plunged our horses in the deep
water at the nearest point, were swimming, and had
nearly gained the opposite shore, when the Federals
ran onto the bank we had just left and fired a volley
6
122 AUTOBIOGRAPHY off
at us with their muskets; but their shots were all
too high.
We reached the bank where the willows were
very thick, jumped off our horses and returned the
fire. From our place of concealment we could
easily see that three of their number were killed.
They kept up a random fire at the willow thicket,
in which they wounded three of our horses and
caused them to run up into the woods, terribly af
frighted. By this time they had ceased firing and
had taken refuge behind trees, and were watching
for our movements ; in this position they stood two
rounds from our rifles, in which four of them fell,
having been shot through the head. Before we
could get another shot we discovered a portion of
the men making their way up the river, and I
understood at once that their intention was to en
gage our attention at that place, while a part of
the command would make their way around and
take us in ; so we retreated in good order to a place
of safety, and remained all night.
The next morning were crossed the river in compa
ny with several others ; and found that the Federals
during the night after the fight had gone to Bloom-
field. They procured a wagon and team from an
old man living near for the purpose of hauling off
their dead. The old man stated to us that there
were seven killed and two wounded.
I now decided to change my tactics, and try my
luck alone and on foot. I thought that by stealthy
movements I could find my family and get them off
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRANP. 12$
to Arkansas much better than with a small com
pany of men.
In a few days I met my family about twenty miles
south from Bloomfield on their way to Arkansas, in
an old wagon pulled by a small yoke of oxen, which
my wife was driving. I learned from her that some
of Capt. Bolin's men had removed her from Flat
Woods to Bloomfield, in Stoddard county, Missouri,
but that McNeal, on taking possession of the town,
had ordered her to leave, adding that the wife and
family of that "desperado, Sam Hildebrand," could
not remain within one hundred miles of his head
quarters.
With the wagon and oxen furnished her by a
friend to our cause, she took the children and some
provisions and started out upon the road, and when
I met them she was making her way as best she
could, but was just preparing to camp for the night
in the lone woods. She cautioned me very particu
larly about the Federals, and said that she had seen
two or three squads that day. On the following morn
ing we resumed our journey, and about ten o'clock
I met six Union soldiers, who came suddenly upon
me at a short turn in the road, but, being dressed in
Federal uniform, they did not suspicion me as being
a Rebel. They asked me to what command I be
longed, and I answered them to Capt. Rice's, sta
tioned at that time in Fredericktown ; at this they
seemed satisfied, and passed on, swearing vengeance
against any Rebels that might fall in their way.
As soon as they were out of sight, I told my wife to
124 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
drive on, while I traveled through the brush awhile.
I had scarcely got out of the road when I discovered
a whole regiment of Federal soldiers, not more than
half a mile off, who were coming directly toward
us. I soon gained an eminence in the^woods, from
which I could observe their maneuvers. They stop
ped at the wagon, and after parleying with my wife
for several minutes, they turned her team around
and took my family along.
At this juncture it is needless to say that I be
came enraged, and knowing an old rebel citizen
about two miles off, I resolved at once to go to him,
thinking that perhaps I might hear from some of
our boys, for I was sure that if there were any in
the neighborhood the old man would know it. I
was overjoyed when he told me that James Oato
and Wash Nabors were taking a nap in the barn,
while he was standing on the lookout. I repaired
to the barn at once, told them the fate of my family,
and that I wanted their assistance that we might
amuse ourselves in bushwhacking them.
After getting something to eat, and some provi
sions to take along with us, we started through the
dense forest, and got in sight of them about sun
down. Before darkness set in we killed a man
apiece, and then lurked around the camp all night.
About every two hours, Cato, Nabors and myself
would meet at a certain hill, designated before dark,
and report progress. I made a great many random
shots, but I think that during the night I killed as
many as fifteen men. My comrades thought that they
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 125
both together killed as many more.*! I learned after
wards that the number we killed during the night
was just thirty ; none were wounded that I ever
could hear of.
Morning began to* approach, and^we fell back to
a high hill, until they began to move toward Bloom-
field. Throughout the day they kept their skirmish
lines so strong that we'could do nothing ; however,
we got several shots, at long range, at their scouts,
but during the entire day 1 was not certain of kill-
in gjmore thanTtwo^men.
We kept in the" woods, as near the troops as we
could, until "we^ had followed them into the very
suburbs of Bloomfield ; then we started back along
the road about dark, intending to pick up stragglers.
Judge of my surprise and joy when, on going back,
I came across my wife and children sitting by the
roadside, where the Federals had left them about
noon, but without the oxen and wagon, and without
any provisions, bedding or change of clothing.
The capture of my wife had proved rather fatal
to them, and her detention among them had pro
duced nothing but disaster and death.
It reminded me of a passage of Scripture that I
once heard my mother read from the Book of Sam
uel, giving an account of the Philistines having
captured the ark of the covenant; they took it from
one place to another, but a plague was produced
wherever it was detained, until many thousands
were dead. Finally, to get it out of their^ hands,
t'ley hitched up a yoke of cattle to a cart, and with-
12(5 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP
out any driver started it out of the country. The
Federals, however, varied somewhat from the Philis
tines, for, instead of giving her a cart and oxen, and
loading her down with presents of gold, they took
her wagon and oxen and everything else she had,
and left her by the roadside in an unknown wilder
ness.
On seeing me my family was greatly relieved in
mind, yet they were in a starving condition, and we
had nothing to divide with them. Believing that
the " ark " might have been left there for the pur
pose of trapping me, I took my position about two
hundred yards from my family, and remained while
my two comrades were gone after something for
them to eat. After their return I made a fire for
my wife in the woods, and gave her directions in
regard to the course she must travel in the morning,
in order to reach the house of our old friend. After
bidding them adieu, I was forced to leave them in
their forlorn condition. We hastened on to our old
friend and requested him to meet my family as
early as possible, and convey them to his house.
He did so ; and in the evening of the same day,
having procured the use of a team, we started on
for Arkansas.
Col. McNeal sent out a party from Bloomfield,
under Oapt. Hicks, who followed us to the St. Fran
cis river, but we had got across, and they did not
venture very close to the bank, having learned a
lesson from me on my upward trip a short time be
fore.
SAMUEL S. HILDEB&ANB. 127
We arrived safely at Capt. Bolin's carnp, and my
family was soon safely housed and supplied with
the necessaries of life, in the charming little com
munity where a score of pleasant families resided.
128 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTER XVII.
Put in a crop.- — Took another trip to Missouri with six men.
— Surrounded in a tobacco barn. — Killed two men in escaping.
— Killed Wammack for informing on him. — Captures some
Federals. — and releases them on conditions. — "Went to Big
River Mills. — Robbed Highley's and Bean's stores.
• Having succeeded in getting my family to Green
county, Arkansas, I settled on a piece of land whose
owner had left for parts unknown, intending to hold
the same until the owner should return. During
the month of April, 1863, I was an " honest farmer,"
and by the 10th day of May I finished planting a
field of corn, while at the same time my wife put in
a large garden.
At this occupation I enjoyed myself very well
for a while; I got some chickens, a few pigs, and a
milch cow, so that my family could get along with
out materially interfering with my main object in
life — that of killing my enemies.
The boys were now anxious to make another trip
to Missouri ; so I took six men and started for Cas
tor creek, in Madison county, after some notorious
scamps who had been giving us trouble on previous
trips, by putting the Federals on our trail, besides
the constant annoyance they gave Southern citi
zens in that country, by reporting them to the Fed
erals.
SAMUEL S. IHLDEBRAND. 129
We passed west of Bloomfield through the South
ern part of Madison county, arriving in the neigh
borhood about daylight on the morning of the fourth
day from home, secreted our horses, leaving three
men to guard them, while myself and the others
proceeded to spy out the men for whom we had
come in search. We did not succeed in finding any
of them, and after returning to our camp in the
woods at sunset, we went to an old friend's about
three miles distant, where we could get a night's
sleep, and something to eat for ourselves and horses.
On arriving, our old friend received us kindly, but
told us that as he was not well we would be under
the necessity of taking care of our own horses, which
we were very willing to do. After supper we tied
our horses in a neighboring thicket ; but as the
weather was rather inclement, we repaired to an old
tobacco barn for shelter; it was about one hundred
yards from the woods on one side, and about two
hundred on the other. Here we slept soundly,
keeping one man on watch all the time, but as we
had not slept more than one hour in each twenty-four
since starting, our sentinel fell asleep. In the morn
ing I went out to take a peep at the weather, and
was saluted by a shot that struck a board just above
my head. I sprang into the barn, raised the alarm,
and took a peep at the position of our enemies.
They were about thirty strong, and had completely
surrounded the barn, posting themselves behind
stumps and old trees, but at a distance of about one
hundred and fifty yards.
130 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
The extent of their circle made their lines very
weak, and perceiving that they were much the
strongest in front of the barn, I ordered my men to
remove the underpinning from one place in the rear
of the house. We crept through this aperture, and
lay on the ground at the back of the building, being
protected from observation by a pile of rubbish.
I proposed taking the lead, and directed my men to
follow in a straight line, but to keep twenty or
thirty feet apart. I arose and started at full speed ;
but before I got fifty yards, all the Federals who were
insight of me, fired off their guns ; yet I was not
killed, but felt a stinging sensation on the point of
my shoulder, which afterwards proved to be a slight
ebrasion, caused by a musket ball. On reaching
the line, I shot the two men with my revolver who
were guarding that point, without making the least
halt ; but I could not help feeling a thrill of pity for
them and wished that they were again alive and on
my side, for they were brave men and faced the
music nobly, but missed their aim.
My men followed me through to the woods un
hurt, save one poor fellow, who was pierced by a
musket ball just as he reached the edge of the tim
ber.
On reaching the woods, which were very thick,
we felt much relieved, and were quite at home. We
reached our horses, and fearing that the Federals
might find them, we mounted and rode back to give
them a little brush ; but finding them all gone, we
made our way around to our friend in whose barn we
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 131
had slept, but found that the Federals had killed him,
and had committed many other depredations about
the place before leaving. Our kind lady, who had
thus so unexpectedly been made a widow, was suffer
ing the pangs of uncontrollable sorrow, but from her
broken sentences we learned that a citizen by the
name of Wammack was with the soldiers, and was
probably the informant at whose instigation the
whole tragedy had been brought about, and that as
the soldiers left in the direction of Fredericktown,
he took the road toward his house. We concluded
to try, and if possible, to get Wammack. I ordered
three of my men to take the horses out of the neigh
borhood, to travel over ground where they would
occasionally make plain tracks, until they got to a
certain creek, eight or ten miles off, then to turn
back, keeping in the creek some distance, and then
to secrete themselves in the bushes near the resi
dence of one Mr. Honn. Our arrangements having
been completed, we separated ; myself and my two
men had not proceeded far, keeping all the time
near the road, before we discovered three men com
ing from the direction of Wammack's house. When
they were near us, we hailed them, and leaving our
guns, we stepped out into the road where they were
and inquired the way to Cape Girardeau. We told
them that we had obtained furloughs at Ironton the
day before, and were on our way to Illinois to see our
families, but that a few miles back we met some sol
diers, who stated that they had got into a skirmish
with the bushwhackers and were going to Freder-
132 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
icktown to bring out the whole force ; so we con
cluded to hide in the woods until they returned.
They mistook us for Federal soldiers, sure enough,
and one of them related the whole circumstance in
a very jubilant manner, stating that he was with
the soldiers at the time, that they had killed four of
the bushwhackers and the old Rebel who had har
bored them, and that if he had his way he would
burn up the whole premises. I suggested that we
had better go to the main road and wait until the
force came; but he objected, for the reason that he
wished to see who buried the dead bushwhackers.
By this time I thought I could venture to ask him
his name, and after telling mo that his name was
Wammack, and that he was " all right," he made a
motion to proceed, at which we drew our revolvers
and told him that he was a prisoner. The other two
having answered a sign which I made while talking
to Wammack, I saw that they were "all right" in
stead of him. I told them that they could go, but
requested them to bury the dead, which they cheer
fully agreed to do.
Just as this conversation ended, Wammack sud
denly jerked out his revolver and attempted to
shoot one of my men and broke to run ; the move
ment was so sudden and so unexpected that he got
nearly forty yards before we succeeded in killing
him.
We then left that part of the country and went (o
Wayne county; while stopping there for supper at
the house of an old Rebel, a young man came in
staled that about five miles from there, on iost
creek, he saw some Federals putting up for the night;
on receiving this pleasing information, we deter
mined to go and take them " out of the wet," as one
of my boys expressed it, and after feeding our horses
and taking our rations, we were soon on our way
for that purpose.
We found the place without much difficulty, made
our way to the house and knocked at the door. The
man of the house came, and in answer to our ques
tions, stated that there were live Federals sleeping
in the stable loft, and that their horses were in the
stable. After telling the old man who we were,
and ordering him not to leave the house, we pro
ceeded to surround the stable, which stood in the
middle of a lot of perhaps about half an acre. Our
positions having been taken, I set fire to a hay stack
that stood in the corner of the lot, nearly in front of
the stable door. When the hay blazed up, the light
shone so suddenly on the Federals that they sprang
to their arms in a great fright. I hailed them, de
manding their surrender, and told them that I was
Sam Hildebrand, and that I and my twenty men had
them completely in our clutches, but that if they
would surrender without firing a gun, I would let
them off on easy terms. To this they gladly ac
ceded, and coming down from the loft, they piled
their arms in the lot. I ordered two of my men to
extinguish the fire that had caught in the fence,
and then proceeded to negotiate with our prisoners,
which was done jn a friendly and satisfac-tory man-
134 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
ner. Kough jokes were passed back and forth with
perfect freedom, and they repeated some of the
many tales of blood circulated in camps about me,
in which I was represented as a hero more daring
and dreadful than "Jack the Giant Killer."
At this time there were two of Capt. Bolm's men
in prison at Ironton, who had been captured while
on a scout up Black river in Reynolds county, Mis
souri; and as my prisoners belonged to the com
mand stationed at that place, I proposed to them
that if they would pledge themselves that by some
means or other they would manage to let the two
boys escape, we would release them, and permit
each one to retain his private property. To this
they agreed; they retained their pistols, but gave
up their guns and horses.
We all stayed until morning, took breakfast to
gether with the old man, who seemed highly pleased
at the turn matters had taken, and occasionally con
tributed to our fun by some of his timely jokes.
After breakfast we separated, the Federals mak
ing their way on foot, carrying a pass from me, writ
ten by one of my men, to prevent any of our boys
from molesting them on their way, should they hap
pen to fall into their hands.
After a short consultation with my men, we con
cluded that it was about time to make our enemies
in St. Francois county pay their taxes to the South
ern Confederacy. On the evening of the last day
of May, we rode into the little town at Big River
Mills, and made a haul on the store of John R
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRANti. 135
Highley, but not being certain of his politics, we
were very light on him. We then went six miles
further to John Bean's store on Flat river, arriving
there about 11 o'clock in the night. We knew him
to be a strong Union rnan, and we knew also that
one of his sons belonged to the Big river mob. We
supplied ourselves with such articles as were
needed by the families at Capt. Bolin's camp.
In a few days after our arrival in Green county,
the two boys who had been in prison at Ironton,
came in, and related to us that the guards who per
mitted them to escape, told them all about the con
tract they had entered into with me. Those Fed
erals deserve much credit for keeping their word.
136 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTER XVIII.
Took seven men. — Went to Negro Wool Swamp. — Attacked
fifteen or twenty Federals. — A running fight. — Killed three. —
Killed Crane. — 'Betrayed by a Dutchman. — Hemmed in a
house by Federals. — Fight and escape. — Killed eight sold
iers. — Caught and hung the Dutchman.
Concluding to take a trip to Negro-Wool Swamp,
I selected seven good men, and struck out; making
our way slowly, we visited our Southern friends,
and passed off the time very pleasantly with them.
We made but few miles a day until nearing the
point to which we had started, the object of our
trip being to take in a couple of very noisy Union
men, for the purpose of giving them a nice necktie
of our own make, manufactured from the textile fa
bric of nature's own production that we occasion
ally stripped from the thrifty young hickories in the
shady woods. But while we were on the lookout
for them, a scout of Yankees, fifteen or twenty in
number, came into the neighborhood, and we con
cluded to let the two meddlesome Unionists rest for
the present and to give the Federals a chase. We
ascertained their exact locality, and at sundown I
gave one of them a dead shot from old " Kill-devil,"
which was all that was necessary to give them a
start, and I assure you it was "a running start."
Seeing the course they took, we knew that they
SAMUEL S. H1LDEBRAND. 137
were bound for Bloomfield, so we mounted and
started in pursuit 5 but they knew so well who was
after them that they gave us no show for a fight ;
however, being much better acquainted with the
country than they were, I made my way, with one
of my men, across on a nearer route, and got in
ahead of them, while my other boys kept up the
chase. We did not beat them much, for when we
had gained the point, we heard them coming at full
speed, and as they passed, we both fired at the same
time ; only one man fell, and as " old Kill-devil" was
in the habit of tearing a tolerable large hole, we had
no dispute about who did it. From there on to
within a few miles of Bloomfield, our chase was in
vain; a streak of greased lightning could hardly
have caught them. Knowing that a considerable
force would now be sent out into the vicinity of
Negro-Wool Swamp to clear that country of bush
whackers, we concluded not to return to that place,
but wound our way around south of Bloomfield, and
ran suddenly on to a man by the name of Crane, for
whom one of Capt. Bolin's men had been hunting
for more than a year; as he was not along, and we
were acting as a band of brothers, I took it upon
myself 1,o shoot the fowl. After having done so, we
made our way into Wayne county, where we re
mained several days, enjoying the rich luxuries
placed at our disposal by our friends in that coun
try. We then took a scout on Black river, and
stopped with a German, who had always professed
great friendship for us, and who, on this occasion,
138 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
greeted us very warmly, and seemed to put himself
to a great deal of inconvenience to make us com
fortable; he stood watch for us, as usual, while we
slept in an unoccupied house. Our minds being
free from suspicion, we slept quite soundly for three
or four hours, but I was aroused by the sound of
horses' feet; and by the time I had awakened my
men, and made ready for our escape, we were com
pletely surrounded. Through a crack I took a hasty
peep, and saw our old friend, the German, on horse
back and in the line of the Federal soldiers.
At this juncture, two of my men were in favor of
surrendering; I answered by telling them to follow
me. There being a dense forest in front of the
house, not more than one hundred and fifty yards
off, I made for it in my fleetest manner, holding my
gun in my left hand and my revolver in my right; I
would have killed the Dutchman as I ran, but he
was on the opposite side of the house ; a whole vol
ley was fired at us as we went, killing one of my
men and wounding two more slightly, but not suf
ficiently to disable them from duty, and giving me
four very slight wounds. As we passed out, we
fired two or three shots a piece with our revolvers,
killing two of their horses, and wounded one man
seriously in the face.
On gaining the woods we felt very well over our
narrow escape, and made our way for a gap in the
bluff, about half a mile off, through which we. knew
the Federals could not easily ride ; we gained the
point, stopped to rest ourselves, and reloaded our pis-
•Ill
SAMUEL S. HTLDEBRAND. 141
tols ; after which we made our way to the top of the
bluff, and discovered through the thick brush, at a
distance of not more than two hundred yards, the
Federals approaching slowly and cautiously toward
us. I gave my men orders to fire in the same order
in which they lay, that is for our extremes to fire on
theirs, so that no two men would fire at the same
Federal.
When fairly within gun shot I gave the word and we
1 fired ; four of them fell dead, and one fellow, badly
wounded, broke down the hill calling loudly on the
name of the Lord. Our rifles were quickly reloaded
and we followed cautiously after them in the direc
tion of our friend's house where we came so near
being taken in ; on gaining the edge of the woods
we discovered them sitting on their horses, near the
house from which we had escaped. They seemed
to be holding a council of war ; one of them who
had on shoulder-straps, appeared to be making a
speech. The distance being about one hundred and
fifty yards some of my men objected to shooting, but
I answered by giving the word slowty, "ready, — aim,
— fire !" At the discharge of our rifles, four of them
fell, and the gentleman with shoulder-straps was
helped from his horse. At this juncture, they began
to form themselves into about twenty different lines,
with only one abreast, each man being in advance,
and each one bringing up his own rear. It was a
novel military position, a kind of "nix cumrous,'' but
it worked well and in almost an instant they seemed
to be spirited away, and we saw no more oi them
142 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
We made our way down Black river about two
miles and camped for the night, and the next morn
ing about sunrise I went to the house of a friend,
who lived back in the woods to obtain provisions for
my men. He told me that the Federals had left for
Greenville immediately after our second round at
them, and had given orders to some citizens to bury
their dead, and on the following day to send the
horses to Patterson, which they left in their care,
and which included those they had captured from
us ; at which place they would meet them with a
large force and proceed to exterminate the Bush
whackers.
I obtained what provisions we wanted and has
tened back to camp. After eating we hurried over
to the Patterson road, selected a good position, and
waited impatiently for the men to come along with
the horses. About ten o'clock in the forenoon an
old man about sixty years of age, and three little boys
came slowly along with them. After they had ap
proached sufficiently near, we stepped out and I
addressed the old man in a very friendly manner,
and stated our business, at which he made some seri
ous objections, remarking as he removed his old cob-
pipe, that it was rather against hie orders, " to de
liver the horses up to Sam Hildebrand." As the old
man gave the horses up, I could easily perceive a
smile of secret satisfaction lurking about his face.
The little boys, however, were badly scared, smd
seemed to realize the fact that Sam Hildebrand had
them. We took possession of the horses, fourteen in
SAMUEL S. HILDEBEAJU). 143
number, and according to previous arrangements,
five of the boys struck for Green county, Arkansas,
with them, while one of them stayed with me, on
foot, for the purpose of killing the German who had
betrayed Us, and thus came so near having us taken
in, and who had caused one of the bravest men in
the Southern Confederacy, to be killed. After send
ing the old man and the boys away I took leave of
my men, and with my comrade repaired to a neigh
boring hill, rested and slept by turns, until near
sunset
From the position we occupied I had a fair view
of the surrounding country, and particularly the
main road leading to Patterson. But during the day
all was quiet, save when a citizen would occasion
ally pass along the road.
As night approached we became restless from in
action, and before the sun had shed its last rays up
on the neighboring hills we were on our way to the
scene of our tragedy the day before.
Arriving there before it was entirely dark we took
our position in the fence corner near the house, and
here we lay in silent impatience until the gray hor
izon warned us that our watch for the present was
ended. We quietly retired to the house of a friend
for our breakfast, not having eaten anything ex
cept a piece of corn bread since the morning be
fore. Having partaken heartily of our friend's rough
but substantial fare, we again repaired to the house
of our treacherous German enemy, having sworn in
our wrath to take his life before leaving the country,
144 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
and succeeded in gaining a position within one
hundred yards of his house and directly in front of
the door. Here we remained all day, during which
time the family seemed to be discharging their do
mestic duties very cheerfully. About four o'clock
in the afternoon two strange men rode up to the
house and held a conversation with the lady for sev
eral minutes and then rode off in the direction they
came, this gave us some hope that the Dutchman
would soon be at home, It was evident that as he
had left with the Federals the day before in their
retreat, and in great haste, that he had made no ar
rangements for a long absence ; and it was more
than probable that those two men only came to see
whether or not the way was clear. We felt indeed
that our most sanguine expectations were soon to
be realized; but the hour passed slowly on; we
changed our position after dark to a place in the
fence corner, near the woodpile, and here we re
mained until the night was half spent. Then we
were made glad by the sound of horses' feet coming
from the direction of Patterson; as the sound came
nearer we could easily perceive that the noise was
made by only one horse.
Advancing slowly, the Dutchman approached the
house, alighted at the woodpile and tied his horse
to the end of one of the limbs within a few feet of
us. Just then we arose and demanded his surrender.
The old fellow was very badly alarmed and called
alternately on the Almighty and Mr. Hildebrand for
mercy ; but I gave him to understand that it was
SAMCEL S, HILDE BRAND. 145
useless for him to beg for mercy; that he was a
prisoner and that we expected to take him to head
quarters as a prisoner of war. His wife came out to
the fence immediately on his arrival, and it was her
presence alone that prevented us from shooting him
on the ground.
I guarded him while my comrade went to the sta
ble-to look for another horse; but finding nothing
there but an old mule, he came back leading it with
a blind bridle.
I requested the lady to loan me a saddle, and she
soon returned with her own side saddle, and re
marked that it was the only saddle on the place. I
told her I could not rob a lady ; to keep the saddle,
and that I was sorry from my heart to be com
pelled to give her uneasiness or trouble; that war
had no mercy, and that through it all I hoped that
she would be protected from harm.
We tied the old man's hands behind him, and then
tied him on the mule without any saddle; at which
the mule humped up his back, gave us a specimen
of mule melody on a base note that re-echoed
among the hills, and then became more quiet. We
started on leading the horse and mule, but we had
to stop several times to let the mule finish braying,
for he would not budge an inch until he got entirely
through. We went about a mile and then proceeded
to hang the Dutchman. He spoke only once and
then the mule chimed in, and before he had finished,
the Dutchman^was swinging to a limb. To render
his duplicity still more apparent, it should be borne
7
146 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
in mind that he was now completely dressed in Fed
eral uniform, having probably enlisted during his
absence. Previous to the hanging, we had taken
from him his pocket book and a revolver.
We now mounted the horse and mule, and went
on about two miles, stopped at the house of a friend
and called for something to eat. Our friend, on
hearing what had taken place, plead manfully for
the lady whom we had so lately made a widow, sta
ting that she was a good woman, recounted many
good deeds she had performed, and finished by add
ing that she would now be entirely dependent on the
charity of the community for support, and insisted
on us having the horse and mule sent back.
We readily consented to this, and told him also
that we would much rather she had the pocket book
also, for on counting the money we found that it
contained forty dollars.
No one could deliver the mule, horse and money
to her without being considered in some measure
implicated. Finally it was agreed for our friend
to take the horse and mule back while it was yet
night ; to leave them near the premises and to throw
the pocket book over the gate into the yard. All
things being arranged we started on foot for our
homes in Arkansas, and arrived there safely.
SAMUiL «. HlLDEBRAm 147
CHAPTER XIX.
Took eight men. — Attacked a Federal camp near Bellinger's
Mill at night. — Lost two men killed and one wounded. —
His men return to Arkansas. — He went alone to St. Francis
county.— Watched the farm of R. M. Cole to kill him.— Was
checked by conscience.
I remained two weeks at home plowing, and then
went on a scout to the vicinity of Mingo Swamp
with eight men. We watched around for several
days to capture some infamous.scamps in that coun
try who had been giving our friends trouble from
the beginning of the war. Being too cowardly to
go into the army, they were staying at home and
were constantly annoying peaceable citizens by
making false reports against them of every kind.
Having failed to get any of them, we concluded
to make another trip over onto Castor Creek, for my
men were always anxious to go to parts of the coun
try frequented by the Federals. We had been on
Castor but one day and night when a party of Fed
erals came along, making their way through the
country, and camping within a short distance of
Bellinger's Mill. We were quietly enjoying our
selves in the nook of rocky range of brushy hills
when a runner came to inform us of the fact. Of
the exact number of the Federals he did not know.
It was with some difficulty that I restrained my
148 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
men to wait until a proper hour of the night before
making the attack, but finally about ten o'clock I
gave the word to get ready, which was done in a
very few minutes. Going around the hills we
struck the main road about a mile from their camp.
We rode very slowly until we routed the pickets,
then dashed on and crowded them into camp; but
the locality of their camp and the position in which
they had taken up quarters, had not been stated to
us correctly; consequently we came oat somewhat
worsted.
They had chosen a narrow place in the road, and
had turned their wagons across it, so that in our at
tempt to dash through their camp, as was our cus
tom, we found our progress suddenly stopped ; this
bothered us so badly that they opened a heavy fire
on us, killing two of my men and wounding another
slightly before we had time to retreat. We were
not certain of having killed any of them, but were
afterwards told by a citizen that we wounded three,
one of whom died next morning. After this unfor
tunate mistake my remaining men wanted to go
back to Green county, Arkansas, where our wound
ed companions could be properly cared for ; to which
I consented, and bidding them adieu I started alone
to St. Francois county, Missouri.
I now thought this a favorable opportunity to
take vengeance upon R. M. Cole for the course he
had taken at the time my brother Frank was hung by
the Big river mob. That matter had never yet been
redressed, and my mind was yet harrassed by con-
SAMUEL S. IJILDEBPAXD. 149
Hiding impressions concerning his guilt or inno
cence in the matter. That he. was a Southern man
I very well knew, but that it was his duty, as a civil
officer, to wrest my brother from the clutches of a
merciless mob I knew equally well. I will here re
mark that all my evil impressions concerning his
complicity in the hanging of my brother have long
since been entirely removed from my mind ; but at
time of which I am now writing, I finally adopted
the unwelcome conclusion that he was evidently
guilty. I escaped the vigilance of my enemies, and
of the hundreds of soldiers whose especial duty it
was to watch out forme; and unobserved by any
one who would be likely to inform against me, I
succeeded in reaching his farm, on Flat river, and
found to my joy that he had not yet finished plow
ing. 1 went around to the back part of the farm,
hitched old Charley to a sapling in the woods, and
taking old "Kill-devil" in my hand, I cautiously ap
proached the cornfield where I had seen him plow
ing from a distance, and about sunset I secreted
myself in a fence corner about ten rows from where
he had plowed the last furrow. I waited until I be
came satisfied that he had stopped for the night.
It was now about dark.
I went back to where I had hitched my horse, un
saddled him and went in search of feed. I soon
found an abundance of oats already cut in the field.
On my way back I chanced to cross a splendid
melon patch; on the ripe melons 1 made out my
Supper, feeling thankful for my good luck so far.
150 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
My only chance now was to wait until morning,
which I did, making myself as comfortable as pos
sible during the night.
In the morning I took my station again in the
fence corner with old "Kill-devil" already cocked
After a long delay, as I thought it, he made his ap
pearance, following along behind the plow and sing
ing most merrily. I was a little frustrated by his
merry mood, and a strange weakness kept me from
firing. I thought I would let him plow one more
round. How I chuckled to myself as he walked de
liberately away from me as if nothing was about to
go wrong with him. He came around again as
merrily as before. I once more raised old "Kill-devil"
to my face and was in the act of pulling the trigger,
when I heard a stick crack in the woods just as he
was turning. This and some other imaginary noises
caused me to delay until he was too far off to make
a sure shot. Here was a good chance lost. This I
thought would never do, for I was now becoming
quite nervous; I bit my fingers as I usually do to
stop what hunters call the "buck ague," but it
seemed to do me no good.
The more I thought of the matter, the more
nervous I got, and 1 must acknowledge that I never
felt that way before when I was in a just cause, and
a thought struck me that there might be something
wrong in this matter after all. I knew that it would
never do to remain squatting in the fence corner
any longer; that I must either shoot or leave.
Dan it be possible that he is innocent of the charge
SAMUEL S. HILDEBIUXD. 151
brought against him by my friends, and that my
suspicions are groundless?
It may be so ! I began to think about letting the
man live ; but the thought of riding several hundred
miles for the express purpose of killing a man, and
then to go back without doing it, after having had
such a good chance, was a thought that I did not
like.
While these thoughts were revolving in my mind
I still set as quietly as a mouse. Once I would have
got up and left; but the man was now making his
third round, and was too close for me to do so with
out being seen. I deliberately raised my gun and
took a bead on him to make my decision while he
was completely in my power — "live on, sir ! live on!"
was my decision, and as soon as he turned I hastily
left for fear of being tempted again. I mounted my
horse, and as soon as I thought he was out of sight
among the corn I rode away, and never before in my
life did I feel so happy as I did when I passed oppo
site the row he was in. I bade him a silent farewell,
and mentally told him to rest easy, for that he never
should be hurt by iny hand.
On my homeward trip I stopped in the vicinity of
Bloomfield (which was still in the hands of the
Federals) in order to pay my respects to Captain
Hicks. He was the commander of the company
which followed me and my family to the St. Francis
river; and boasted that he was the man who shot
me at the Flat Woods. Not being disposed to rob
him of his honors, I was willing to admit that
152 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
he did the act, and to govern myself accordingly.
I lay around his residence four days and nights,
getting my provisions out of his smoke-house, be
fore he made his appearance.
On the evening of the fourth day he rode up to his
house, and in a few minutes walked out with his wife
into the garden.
I walked up to the garden fence and spoke to him;
he seemed agitated and started toward the house ; I
raised my gun, halted him, and told him to come to
me as I wanted to talk a little to him. He halted
and with some reluctance walked toward me, and on
getting within a few paces he asked me who I was.
I told him that I was Sam Hildebrand ; that I under
stood he had been hunting for me for some time,
and I thought I would come by and see what he
wanted. At this he made a lick at me with a hoe
which he held in his hand, and came very near hit
ting me ; but in a moment I ended his existence by
shooting him. I eluded all search and effected my
escape to Arkansas.
SAMUEL S. II1LDEJ5RAND. 153
CHAPTER XX.
Trip to Hamburg with fifteen men. — Hung a Dutchman and
shot another. — Attacked some Federals in Hamburg, but got
gloriously whipped. — Retreated to Coon Island. — Return to
St. Francis river. — Killed Oiler at Flat Woods. — Robbed
Bean's store at Irondale.
About the middle of August, 1863, at the solici
tation of two brave boys who had kindly assisted
me on several trips to St. Francois county, and ex
pected my assistance in return, I started to a small
place called Hamburg; with fifteen men under my
command.
We wished to take in three or four .Dutchmen who
had given the relatives of my two men a great deal
of trouble, causing them to be robbed, and in some
instances imprisoned.
We crossed into Butler county, and then into
Stoddard; passing south and east of Bloomfield, we
crossed Little river abo^e Buffington, and entered
Scott county. By traveling altogether in the night
we created no disturbance until we got near the
point to which we were aiming.
About ten o'clock in the forenoon we rode up and
surro unded the house of one of the men whom we
were a fter. He recognized us as Union soldiers and
came out without being called. He commenced ad.
dressing us in Dutch, but I told him that we did not
154 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
belong to that persuasion; he then began speaking
broken English and still advanced toward us. When
in the act of extending his hand toward one of ray
men who was nearest to him, he suddenly c^scovered
his unfortunate mistake, and called to his wife who
was yet in the house. The whole family came out,
placed themselves in a group near us and implored
us in broken English to spare their father. To the
bottom of my heart I cursed the man who first in
vented war; but as war on one side and mercy on
the other would only lead to death, we marched our
Dutchman off about a mile and hung him to a lean
ing tree. About one hour afterwards we came to
the house of another of those cunning informers ;
he broke out at a back door and ran so fast that we
all had to fire before we brought him down.
We now pushed on to get a couple more who
lived at Hamburg, but on entering the place we
were met by a volley of musket shots which made
our ears ring. One of my men was killed on the
spot, at which we charged the enemy, seeing that
their numbers were only about twelve. They took
refuge behind an old dilapidated frame house; and
while I placed some of my men in positions to com
mand both ends of the building, others marched up
to the front of the house and set it on fire.
By this time the shooting had attracted the atten
tion of other Federals in the vicinity, who came to
the rescue, and before we were aware of their pre
sence we were nearly surrounded. We made a dash
to clear their lines, and in the attempt four of my
SAMUEL S. HILt)£BRAKD. 155
men were badly wounded, but none of them killed.
I began to think that I had met with more than
our match, for as we retreated they followed us in a
solid phalanx. Our horses were put to the utmost
of their speed, our wounded were left behind, the
chase after us was gloriously exciting; we probably
gained a little after we had gone about two miles,
but they did not by any means give up the chase,
for we were not allowed to enjoy anything that had
the least resemblance (o peace and tranquility, un
til we had gained Little river and swam across to
Coon Island. We lost nearly everything we had ex
cept our horses and they were badly injured; some
of my men lost their guns, and others lost every bit
of fight that they formerly had in them. The Fed
erals made no attempt to cross the river, but left us
to brood over the sad result of our rash and incon
siderate adventure. The whole matter looked to me
a great deal like a defeat, and I must confess that I
viewed it rather in that light ; but if it had been the
Army of the Potomac they would have called it " a
strategic movement — merely a change of base."
We lost one man killed and four wounded, prison
ers whom we supposed would be shot. In justice
to General Steele, however, I can proudly say that
in this case he did us more than justice by retaining
our men as prisoners of war and treating them well.
Their wounds were healed, and in three months they
were exchanged and returned to our Green County
Confederacy.
On leaving: Coon Island we struck the St. Francis?
156
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
river at Twelve Mile creek, and remained there
several days recruiting our horses. Not wishing to
be idle, I concluded that while my men and horses
were resting, I would take a trip on foot to Flat
Woods and pay my respects to George F. Oiler, who
was so intent on bushwhacking me that he spent
most of his time in the woods watching for my ap
pearance on my accustomed routes.
Aside from his many boisterous threats against
me he was in the habit of marking out "Old Sam,"
as he called me, on trees and shooting at the figure
at various distances. His vindictive spirit was not
manifested against me alone, but even against the
children of Southern sympathizers. At one time he
went to St. Francis river where some Southern boys
were in the habit of bathing, and at the high rock
from which they were fond of plunging, he drove
some cedar stakes and sharpened the upper ends
which were just under the water.
Fortunately when the boys next went there to
bathe the water had fallen a few inches, and the
ends of the stakes exposed so that the boys dis
covered them before making the fatal leap. Oiler
of course did all this for the patriotic motive of sub
jugating the South; but the result was that the
little boys were saved and the country lost.
On arriving in the neighborhood I learned from a
very kind German lady whom I happened to meet
and who mistook me for a Federal, that the hunt
for me was still going on.
I learned also that Oiler's zeal for the good of the
SAACUKL S. M1LDEBRAXD. 157
Union cause was not in the least abated by his
many failures to hit my figure which he had cut on
a large oak near his house, nor by his failure to kill
the innocent children whom he was afraid would be
Rebels at some future time.
At night I went and inspected his premises, and
before daylight I took my position; but the day
passed off and he did not make his appearance*
When night came I repaired to the house of a friend,
obtained two days' rations, returned to my ambush,
and slept until the first peep of day. I was again
doomed to disappointment; but on the third day,
late in the evening, as I lay brooding over the many
failures I had made to inflict justice upon those who
were seeking my blood, Mr. Oiler made his appear
ance.
He walked slowly up to the premises with his gun
on his shoulders. On getting to a pig pen he got
over the fence and commenced marking a pig. I
shot him through and hastily left the place; oa
gaining the top of a small hill a few hundred yards
off, I heard the pig squealing, for Mr. Oiler had
fallen across it, and it was not able to extricate
itself from the trap.
On getting back to my men I selected five of them
to go with me, and permitted the rest to return to
Arkansas.
As soon as it was dark I started with my five men
for Irondale, on the St. Louis and Iron Mountain
railroad.
after dark on one evening in the early part
15S AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
of September, we entered the town. We saw no sold
iers in the streets, and no one else, except Dr. Pos-
ton, a citizen of the place. We compelled him to
knock at the door of Bean's store and ask for admit
tance ; when this was done wre entered without any
trouble, took all the goods we could conveniently
pack, and returned to Arkansas by the way of Black
river,
SAMUEL S. IIILDEBRAND. 159
CHAPTER XXI.
Started with six men for Springfield, Missouri. — Deceived by
a Federal Spy. — Was captured through mistake by Rebels, —
Surprised on Panther creek. — Returned home on foot.
I was under obligations to assist some of my boys
in a trip to the neighborhood from which they had
been driven, in return for their services on several
of my trips.
About the middle of September, after having only
rested about a week, I started with six men from
near Springfield, Missouri, to make a raid in the vi
cinity of that city. Not being acquainted with the
country over which we designed traveling, I had
but little to say in regard to the programme of our
intended raid. After our plans were arranged, we
started, taking with us "neither purse nor scrip,"
for we intended to rely altogether on our good for
tune for our supplies.
From Green county, Ark., we traveled through
Randolph and entered Missouri in Ripley county.
Here we were detained, for one of my men had the
misfortune to lose his horse. Having reached a
part of the country known as the Irish Wilderness,
we concluded to rest a day and hunt.
In the evening before we struck camp, a young
man, dressed in citizen's clothes, who claimed to be
going to the Rebel army, joined us, and asked per-
160 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
mission to stop with us until morning. He professed
to be going to Arkansas, and we readily consented
to entertain him as best we could.
After the confusion incident to striking camp,
making fires, attending to our horses, etc., was over,
our new companion began a series of interrogatories
relative to the part of country through which we
had operated, since the beginning of the war. After
having posted him thoroughly in regard to the field
of our operations, we related to him many thrilling
incidents and daring adventures connected with our
history ; to all of which he listened with intense in
terest, and at the amusing parts of our story he
laughed most heartily. After we grew tired of re
lating our many dangerous feats and bloody deeds,
he began his narrative of hair breadth escapes and
heroic adventures. The field of his operations hav
ing been Kentucky, we were very pleasantly enter
tained by receiving the full accounts of several in
cidents of which we had heard some rumors.
We had scarcely marked the transition from twi
light to Egyptian darkness, so much were we
pleased with our new companion's pleasant stories,
when one of my men remarked that " the last hour
of the day was melting away into the eventful past."
Our programme for the day following had been
made by our new comrade, and heartily approved
by us all, that we would take an old fashioned deer
hunt, among the wild hills surrounding us.
Our quiet slumbers were scarcely disturbed even
by the intermission of rolling over, until " Old Sol "
SAMUEL S. I11LDEBHOD. 161
was looking us fair in the face, as if to read the guilt
of our hearts.
Upon awakening, one word loudly spoken, was
sufficient to bring the whole squad to a half recum
bent position ; and as we went through the antiqua
ted performance of rubbing our eves, the attention
of each one seemed to be turned to the spot where
our new comrade had deposited himself for a sleep
a few hours before. He was gone 1 The fragment
of an old log, that had served him as a pillow, was
all that was left of him or his bed. But this was
not all; — one of our best horses was gone! We
cared but little for the horse, so far as his real value
was concerned, for we had some experience in
" raising horses," and knew that we could get
another on very easy terms, but we did not like the
idea of having been gulled by a young adventurous
loyalist, in the face of the fact, too, that we consid
ered ourselves " shark proof/'
Neither were we certain that our misfortunes
would end here, for our " sharper " had succeeded
in getting our plans for the entire trip.
During the preparation of our morning meal, the
subject of our misfortune was freely discussed, with
many conjectures in regard to who our deceiver
was, and the probable result of his acquired infor
mation.
A. majority of the men were in favor of continuing
our journey, while only one man joined me in op
posing any further movement in the direction of
Springfield,
162 AUTOBIO&RAPH1 OF
However, as it was not my own trip, I did not feel
at liberty to say much about it ; not wishing to ap
pear obstinate, I contented myself with making
them a "humbug" speech, for I must confess that
the recollection of our unfortunate adventure at that
place, seemed as though it would haunt me to the
grave. All my arguments, however, did no good,
the}' would not be convinced against their own
will ; so I submitted cheerfully to the good old
democratic rule of going with the majority.
During the day, myself and two others, rode over
to the edge of the settlements to get a horse for our
pedestrian " bushwhacker," and succeeded in find
ing one ; but the owner was a noted Rebel ; our only
way to sustain ourselves in the act was to pass our
selves off for Union soldiers, this we did with a very
good grace and got the horse without any resistance.
In fact, he made but little objection, for he knew
that the "Union savers" were terrible when irritated.
After going back two or three miles toward our
camp in the Wilderness, I saw some deer on the side
of an adjoining hill, and fearing that the boys in
camp had failed to kill meat for our supper, selected
a nice buck and shot him dead on the spot.
After having dressed the meat preparatory to car
rying it into camp, we concluded to build afire and
broil some of it for our dinner. While we were thus
busily engaged, all squatted around the fire, we
were suddenly saluted by a remarkably boisterous
mandate of " surrender !" at which we sprang to our
feet with our revolvers in our hands to find our-
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRASD. 163
selves confronted by five of Capt. Bolin's men, who
had left Green county, Arkansas, a few days before
us, and were on a visit to see some friends in the
neighborhood, from one of whom we had taken the
horse. We had anything else rather than a fight,
for we quickly recognized each other, and a general
congratulation was the only military demonstration
between us.
The five " bushwhackers " were concealed near
the house of the old Rebel from whom we had taken
the horse, and who had really regarded us as Fed
erals. As soon as we had left his house, he reported
us to Capt. Bolin's men, who took our trail and
tracked us to the wild solitudes of the Irish Wilder
ness. We at once decided on changing our quar
ters. I sent my two comrades to the camp and had
the boys to move over to the edge of the settle
ments. The old Rebel, from whom wo had taken
the horse, was our best friend; we gaire it back to
Siim, and got another in that neighborhood on the
following night.
The reader, without making any very extravagant
draw upon his imagination, can conclude that we
had a jolly time when we all got together.
Our adventure with the sharper, my attempt to
steal the old Rebel's h©rse, and our unconditional
surrender in the Wilderness while broiling the veni
son, were the subjects discussed. From the boys,
we learned something more of our adventurous
Yankee detective. He had been in that neighbor
hood a week or two, repeating the same story that
161 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OJ*
lie had told us. He evidently thought that the
bushwhackers were rather thick in that neighbor
hood, and concluded to leave it as quick as possible.
On the following morning, our whole party, with
myself, took up our march for Springfield, and in
the evening of the same day we reached the vicin
ity of Thomasville, in Oregon county. We were
warned against traveling in the day time, unless we
were hunting for a fight ; we assured our friends that
a fight was the least of our desire at the present
time, the object of our trip being solely for the pur
pose of enabling some of our boys to avenge certain
wrongs received at the hands of Union men in
Greene county, Missouri.',
^ — ^^—~ — "" \
After rrijalTing a tolerable heavy draw ok some of
our Rebel friends for provisions and horseYeed, we
again resujmed our journey, and the following morn
ing found us in the woods, quartered for the day,
near a small town in Howell county, called Lost
Gamp, where we remained all day.
A substantial old friend living near by, brought
us two or three bottles of " burst-head," which pro
duced the effect of making some of the boys be
lieve that they had fought a great battte, and that
the United States Government had taken refuge in
a deep cavern, the mouth of which they had stop
ped with a large ilat rock, on top of which the boys
were dancing. The only question with them seemed
to be what they would do with their twenty millions
of prisoners.
When sable night again clad the wicked world in
SAMUEL S. J11LDEBR.4KD. 165
half mourning, we resumed our journey, and on ap
proach of day, we were in the beautiful little town
of Vera Cruz, in Douglas county ; on the next night
we reached Panther creek, in Webster county. One
of our men who professed to be acquainted in that
neighborhood, went to a pretended Rebel friend to
get supplies, but the old fellow flatly refused to give
him anything. I was a little amused at the disap
pointment of the boys, and at the dilemma in which
they were placed. I could not help thinking how
different I would have acted on a raid of my own.
About ten o'clock in the forenoon we were sur
prised by a party of Federal soldiers, numbering
perhaps about sixty men. Before we were aware
of their presence they charged upon us at a most
furious rate, yelling and shooting at us most fear
fully. A mere glance at the party was sufficient to
convince me that an attempt at resistance would be
worse than folly. I sprang to my feet, yelled out
to the boys to run; but having no time to mount
our horses, we had to depend upon our own fleet-
ness for our escape. In our retreat through the
dense forest, we had the advantage over our ene
mies ; I and four others managed to keep together
for about a mile ; not seeing any pursuers, we took
our position on a high hill, and remained there un
til late in the evening. While keeping a vigilant
watch over the surrounding country, we discovered
one of our men emerging cautiously from a denso
thicket in the valley at the foot of the hill.
He seemed terribly frightened. I made my way
1G6 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
down the hill to within a hundred yards of him, and
then called him by name ; but it was some time be
fore he recognized me. Fortunately for us, this man
was acquainted with the country through which we
would have to pass in making our way back to Ar
kansas. The tops of the highest hills were yet bask
ing in the sun's last lingering rays, when we started
on our perilous journey of two hundred miles on
foot, without any blankets, provisions, or anything
else, except our pistols and one gun, for I had made
my escape with old " Kill-devil " in my hand. The
next morning about daylight, we ran into a gang of
sheep, succeeded in catching one, and made our
way down into a deep ravine, where we could not
be discovered. There we built a fire and fared
sumptuously. We continued on during the night,
and the next day I killed a deer. On the following
night we reached our friend near Yera Cruz, and
here we met another one of our boys, but he was no
better posted in regard to the fate of our company
than myself.
I will not weary the patience of my reader by de
tailing the many privations incident to our trip ; suf
fice it to say that we did get back to Arkansas ; and
that fortunately for me I never received an invita
tion to take another trip to Springfield under the
command of an unexperienced leather-head.
About a week after arriving in camp, another one
of the boys came in, looking somewhat subjugated.
I afterwards learned that two of our men were
killed when we were routed, and that the others
SAMUEL S. HILDEBKASD. 167
were taken prisoners, none of whom ever returned
during the war.
I have cautioned the boys never again to imagine
themselves dancing on the flat rock covering the
prison door of the defunct Yankee nation, lest they
might unexpectedly find some of them yet running
at large.
168 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTER XXII.
Started with four men. — Surrounded in a thicket near Predericktown.—
Escaped with the loss of three horses. — Stole horses from the Federals
at night.— K.lled two Federal Soldiers.— Suffered from hunger.— Killed
Fowler, — Got a horse from G. W. Murphy.— Went to Mingo Swamp.
"-Killed Cootu for betraying him, — Killed a soldier and lost two men,
I selected four good men and started on another
trip to St. Fraacois county, Missouri, on the 10th of
November. We traveled altogether in the night ;
arriving in the vicinity of Fredericktown about mid
night, we stopped at the house of a well-known
friend, who expressed a great deal of surprise at see
ing us there, stating that the cry of " Hilde brand,"
had been raised ia the community abouc ten days
previous, and that the Federals, with the assistance
of citizens, had been scouting the woods between
that place and Farmington ever since. He was no
little amused when we told him that the report
was utterly false, and that we were on a scout out
westward at the time.
The report of my having been in that part of the
country ten days previous, I was satisfied would
work favorably to the success of our present enter
prise, for it was not probable that they would make
another search so soon after having made one so
thoroughly.
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND 169
From there we went to a dense thicket near the
residence of Mr. North, and being very tired and
sleepy, we lay down, and slept very soundly until
the morning sun was looking down upon our quiet
retreat. Our old friend had supplied us with two
days' rations and some shelled corn for our horses,
so we had a complete outfit for a good rest.
Whilst lying lazily around our horses, planning
the future of our trip, we were suddenly startled by
the sound of a gun near by, which was evidently
discharged at one of us. A moment, however, was
sufficient to satisfy me in regard to the nature of the
case; we had been spied out, our horses tracked up,
and our thicket surrounded. At a bound I lit in my
saddle and was soon out of the thicket in an oppo
site direction from where the gun was fired. On
reaching the open ground, I discovered the Federals
coming around the woods, not having yet completed
their circle. They fired on me, but the distance
was too great, and I remained unhurt. My men had
not taken time to mount their horses, but as they
followed me on foot, one of them received a bruise
on his back from a spent ball. In a few minutes
our complete escape was effected, with no damage
but the loss of four good horses. The Federals fol
lowed us closely for about a mile, when we got far
enough ahead to give them the dodge by turning at
right angles into the St. Francis river bottom. We
made our way back to within a mile of Frederick-
town, where we remained the rest of the day. When
night came we went in quest of our pursuers ; we
S
170 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP
found them camped in a lane about six miles north
west from Fredericktown.
Our object now was to get horses. We made our
way on foot toward them, but found that the end of
the lane was guarded; we went around to the other
end and found it guarded also, while the horses
were in the middle, tied to one of the fences. We
then went around through the field, laying down
the outside fence very carefully, and approached
the lane fence on the opposite side from where the
horses were tied. The night was very dark, but we
could distinctly see a sentinel slowly walking his
beat of about fifty yards, ourselves being at the end
of the beat. When his back was turned, I laid the
fence down easily ; we sprang to a horse a piece,
cut the halters, mounted, and were off at full speed
before he turned on the other end of his beat.
Our hasty flight of course raised an alarm in the
camp, but we saw no more of the Federals that
night. Being again mounted, we resolved to give
them employment for a few days in hunting us, and
for that purpose we took up our quarters in a place
least expected, by going within a mile of Frederick-
town onto a certain eminence, after having made
a circuit around the side of a hill.
On the following day we slept by turns ; I killed
a pig with my knife near the house of a farmer, and
cooked it in a deep ravine where the fire could not
be observed; during the previous night we had
stolen a sufficiency of feed for our horses. I con
cluded to go into Fredericktown to get a supply of
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 171
ammunition, which I did about ten o'clock in the
night, by meeting with an old friend there who
bountifully supplied us with all we needed.
We moved seven or eight miles in the direction
of Pilot Knob, supplying ourselves with horse-feed
and provisions on the move.
When morning again made its appearance, I left
my men in charge of the horses, and after instruct
ing them where to meet me again in case of trouble,
I went to the gravel road for the purp ose of killing
a Federal or two. I concealed myself near the road,
and about 10 o'clock in the day, two came along
and I let old " Kill-devil " off at one of them. They
wheeled suddenly around and started back in the
direction of Pilot Knob ; the one I shot was badly
wounded and bled freely. Only an hour afterwards
a squad of perhaps ten came from the direction of
Fredericktown. It was a quandary in my mind
whether it was best to take a pop at them or not, a
feeling of revenge settled the matter. I fired, and
one fell; at this they put their horses to full speed.
Soon after they were out of sight, another came
along in a very great hurry as if he was endeavor
ing to overtake the others ; on coming up to the
dead man he made a momentary halt, of which I
took advantage and shot him through. I now con
cluded that I had done enough for the day, or
enough, at least, to raise an excitement, so I went
back to my men and we moved about twelve miles
in the direction of Farmington, and near the St.
Francis river on a high bluff, which afforded us pe-
172 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
culiar advantages in the event of a fight, where we
were compelled to remain several days.
My comrade, who had received a bruise on the
sp;ne, had by this time become so disabled by that
slight injury, that he could not ride. The little
amusement that I had taken on the gravel road was
now creating quite a stir in military circles, and
their search for us was carried on with a zeal worthy
of a better cause.
Having called out the forces at Pilot Knob, Fred-
ericktown and Farmington, with a large majority of
the citizens, the search was made thoroughly and
in earnest. Squads frequently passed in sight of us,
and within easy gun-shot, but none of them as
cended the high bluff we occupied. On the evening
of the third day our provisions and horse-feed gave
out, and e ach night I went out in search of more.
Obtaining provender for our horses was a very easy
matter, but getting provisions for ourselves was not
only very difficult but extremely dangerous. I knew
but few men in the neighborhood, and on approach
ing their houses I invariably found our well-known
signal of danger — a towel hung on a nail outside of
the door. We could easily have killed a hog or a
sheep, but we could not run the risk of making a
fire to cook it. After our provisions gave entirely
out, we were twenty-four hours without any food.
During the second night I found some bacon in
somebody's smoke-house, I knew not whether he
was a friend or foe, and cared still less, but I took
two hams to camp, which we ate raw.
SAMUEL S. I1ILDEBRAND. 173
On the sixth night our comrade was able to ride,
and we moved about fifteen miles, stopping south
of Fredericktown. Here a Mend supplied us with
the necessaries of life, and even brought food to our
camp ready cooked for our use.
Our wounded companion, who was too much dis
abled to take any part in a raid, now obtained leave
to return to Arkansas alone, while I and my other
men started on a trip to St. Francois county.
While living at Flat Woods, I became acquainted
with a man named John Fowler. He professed to
be a strong Southern man, and having perfect con
fidence in his veracity, I entrusted him with many
things in regard to my plans, that I withheld from
the rest of my neighbors ; but about the time that I
was run off from there by the Federals, my friend
Fowler joined the Union army.
On receiving this intelligence, I felt much morti
fied, and concluded at once that he had betrayed me,
notwithstanding he sent me word on several oc
casions that I need not fear him. His duplicity,
however, was so apparent that I determined to kill
him on sight; this I had some hope of doing, as
he seemed to enjoy some liberties, and often came
into the neighborhood, but generally in company
with other soldiers. On every visit he came to my
house and conversed pleasantly with my wife, but I
regarded him rather as a spy.
As we were traveling along on the present oc
casion, I run suddenly on him about five miles
southwest from Fredericktown. We met in a nar-
174 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
row path, and before he hardly had time to recog
nize me, I shot and killed him instantly.
I will here state that I had cause to regret this
act afterwards, for I ascertained that he had de
serted the Federals, and was on his way South to
join the " bushwhacking department " of the South
ern army.
After passing Fredericktown in the night, we
learned that several companies of Federals, Home
Guards and Militia, were hunting for me in every
direction. In fact, we came near being discovered
by several squads during the night. We hastened
on into St. Francois county; Tom Haile and myself
being in front, we took Farmington without firing a
gun long before my other men came up. As we
rode in the streets were full of people, but we only
had time to take a second look when the place
seemed to be entirely deserted. Not a man, woman
or child could be found, at which Tom laughed
heartily, and remarked that he thought cellar rent
ought to be very high in that place. When my
other men came up Tom told them that we had
found a beautiful town not claimed by anybody,
"just laying around loose," and that he was very
sorry we could not take it along with us until we
found an owner. We did not haunt the town very
long with our unholy presence, but after going into
a grocery, where we had to help ourselves, we took
a hearty drink of some good old liquor that had
been left by the generation that once lived there ;
then mounting our horses we left the lonesome
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 175
place. Tom remarked that as we had no wounded
man to leave there to garrison the town we had bet
ter leave for the "settlements." We went on to
Big river to look after our old enemies ; but their
consciousness of having committed such a cata
logue of crimes against me made them the hardest
men in the world to find.
In our business of killing enemies, we met with
good success everywhere but on Big river. Up to
the time of the present writing, a majority of those
miscreants, with hands dripping with the blood of
my brothers, are yet permitted to live. For several
days and nights we watched around the houses of
my old enemies, but to no purpose ; it was impossi
ble to find them. One of my men made his way
around through the neighborhood to ascertain their
whereabouts, and reported that they were all from
home except Franklin Murphy ; but Tom Haile was
determined that I should not kill him. He exacted
a promise from me long ago that I never would mo
lest him or any of his property. Haile was a man
who wielded an influence over every one with whom
he came in contact. He was ever in a perfect good
humor; the clouds of adversity never seemed to
throw a shadow on his brow ; his heart was all sun
shine, and his feet ever trod in the vales of mirth
and gladness.
I plainly saw that so far as killing my old enemies
was concerned my present trip was a failure. Dur
ing all the incidents of my previous trips to Mis
souri, I never ior once lost sight of that one leading
176 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
object of my mind. The killing of Federals, in which
I had taken such an active part, only afforded me
pleasure by the reflection that they were a part and
parcel of the same stripe, and in sympathy with the
Big river vigilance mob.
I was now much in need of a good horse, and af
ter talking the matter over with my men, Tom Haile
and myself concluded to demand a good horse,
bridle and saddle, from G. W. Murphy, a man whose
nature it was to be quiet and inoffensive, and who
had attended strictly to his own business during all
the struggle.
He was abundantly able to assist us in the matter,
and we considered that he ought to contribute that
much toward the Southern cause. We were raised
close together from boyhood, and I had nothin g
against him ; but as he was well able to spare me a
horse, I made the demand. He complied with the
request after emerging (as I believe) from a barrel
of feathers. His novel appearance caus ed Tom
Haile, who was always fond of a joke, to tell him
that he must not let Jim Craig see him in that con
dition, or he might capture him for a spotted mule,
which Murphy, in his good humored way, passed off
very well. We also took a horse from Orville Mc-
Ilvaine, who lived on the place known as the Baker
farm. I had some anxiety to see him in order to
make him break his well-known rule of never part
ing with a greenback after it got into his safe ; but
his retiring nature prompted him to conceal himself
in the garret until we departed. We now rejoined
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 177
the other boys and started back by the way of
Mingo Swamp. Before we reached that place we
were warned by our friends that the Federals were
thick in that locality. About midnight we arrived
at the house of William Coots (well-known as old
Bill Coots,) who had heretofore invariably repre
sented himself as a Rebel of unusual bitterness. In
answer to our inquiries, he told us that there were
no Federals in the neighborhood, neither had there
been any for more than a month. He also told us
that the men we wished to find were then at home.
I felt very much gratified on hearing statements so
favorable to the success of our enterprise, and re
quested him to supply us with a few days' rations
and provender for our horses, while we camped at a
certain point not more than half a mile distant.
He readily consented, and gave us a very press
ing invitation to come and take breakfast with him
about sun up. To this we agreed, and at the time
designated, we all left our camp and repaired to the
house of our generous host, who received us with a
great deal of what might be termed "Arkansas
courtesy." It may be readily supposed that the
scanty fattening process we had gone through while
on the St. Francis bluff had produced a streak of
lean running the whole length of our mortal bodies ;
and that the odor from the kitchen, of coffee, ham
and eggs, with other ingredients intermixed with
spices, made us for a time forget all other things on
these mundane shores. When breakfast was an
nounced and we were about to seat ourselves at the
178 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
table, old Coots remarked : " Here, gentlemen, you
can lay your arms on the bed," but it was not our
custom to take off our arms at any time, so we
seated ourselves at the table with them on. We
were perhaps about half done eating when a ragged
looking Federal stepped up to the door, and in an
exulting tone said: "Well, Coots! you got them,
did you ?" and bawled out " surrender," at which I
sprang from the table, drew my revolver and shot
Coots, seized my gun which I had left near the door,
and cleared the door by about fifteen feet; I shot a
Federal with my revolver which I still held in my
right hand, and in a few bounds gained the woods
unhurt, save a slight wound on the back of my head.
My men attempted to follow without their guns,
two of them were killed in their attempt to escape,
while the remaining one (Tom Haile,) soon got with
me, and we made our way to our horses. Fortunate
ly the Federals had not found them. We tarried
awhile lor our comrades, but as they did not come
up we were fearful that they were slain. Mounting
our horses and leading theirs, we made our way to
a canebrake about a mile off, and sent a citizen
back to ascertain the real state of affairs. After
taking an old bridle in his hand, he made his way
over, inquiring of each person he met for a grey
mare and a black colt.
On passing the house of old Bill Coots he was
halted, at which he did not seem to be the least
alarmed, but expressed the utmost surprise when
the whole tragedy was related to him. The worst
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRANB, l&l
part of the whole affair was that two of my men
were killed and were lying at the time in front of
the house. On receiving this news we started home
to get a force sufficient to clean out the Federals,
but on arriving in Green county, Arkansas, nearly
all of our men were out on scouting excursions,
principally toward the West.
18'2 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTER XXIII.
Took ten men. — Went to Mingo Swamp. — Went to Castor Creek. —
Medicine traffic. — Attacked two companies of Federals under
Capt. Cawhorn and Capt. Rhode? — Fought them seven nights. —
Dick Cowan. — Went with Capt. Reed's men. — Attacked Capt.
Leeper's Company. — Killed fourteen and wounded eight. — Cap
tured forty-four guns, sixty pistols , forty horses and four hun
dred dollars.
On the 15th day of December, 1863, I started
back to Mingo Swamp with ten men, and met with
no obstacles on our route after swimming the St.
Francis river. When we got into the neighborhood
of the unfortunate tragedy of our previous trip, we
ascertained from reliable sources that the Federals
left ior Bloomfield on the day following th^ skirmish
at old Bill Coots', and that the men we had been
looking after so long had gone into the regular
army.
We visited the house of our newly made widow,
Mrs. Coots, for the purpose of seeing the graves of
my two brave boys. She confessed that Ooots had
layed plans for my capture ; that the Federals were
camped only one mile off at the time, and that after
I had consented to come to his house for breakfast,
he went to the Federal camp and notified them of
the fact, and made arrangements to take me in.
Finding no one in that vicinity to fight, we made
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 183
our way over onto Castor creek to a well known
friend, who had, since the beginning of the war,
acted as an agent for us in receiving and forwarding
supplies and medicines. Hearing of no Federals in
that portion of the country, and there being no per
sons in that quarter against whom we had enmity
sufficient to induce us to invest any of our capital
in bark or grape vines, we obtained the medicine
sent to that place from Farmington, St. Francois
county, Missouri, and started back for Mingo Swamp.
On our way the monotony of our journey was sud
denly relieved by seeing a Federal coming toward
us, apparently riding very cautiously. We only got
a glimpse of him as the road took him down into a
small ravine out of our sight. We were very cer
tain that he had not discovered us, so we got out of
the road until he came up ; when we halted him he
seemed very much frightened, but surrendered
quietly.
fle told us that he had been to Cairo, Illinois, to
see his family, and was on his way back to his com
mand at Fredericktown. Upon the whole he gave
such a good account of himself that we only dis
armed him and took his greenbacks, which, how
ever, only amounted to twelve dollars.
On the following night we heard of three more
Rebel boys in the country and sent for them. After
they agreed to try a trip with us, we left the drugs
with a friend and went back onto Castor creek to
watch for the Federals who were in the habit of
passing tiiere on their road between Fredericktown
184 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
and Cape Girardeau. We had been there but one
night and day when we heard of two companies of
Federals nearby commanded by Captains Cawhorn
and Khoder. As soon as it was dark we proceeded
to spy out their exact locality and take a look at
the surroundings. We found from their position and
numbers that it would be entirely unsafe to charge
through their camp as was our custom, and con
cluded to bushwhack them. During the night we
killed twelve and wounded several more, as we were
informed afterwards. When day again made its ap
pearance we went about two miles into a dense
thicket with our horses. We put out spies watching
and waiting impatiently for them to move. Instead
of marching, however, they were charging around
the most public places in the vicinity, threatening
Southern sympathizers with annihilation, but we
got no chance to bushwhack them.
During the day a squad of them went to the resi
dence of Dick Cowan, one of my men, burned his
house and other buildings, and attempted an out
rage on one of his sisters who happened to be there.
For several days the people in the neighborhood
were compelled to suffer the most glaring insults
and wrongs. Each night we renewed the attack,
and killed one occasionally at all hours of the night.
They stood our mode of warfare six days and nights,
but early on , the morning of the seventh day they
started on their way to Cape Girardeau. During
their march we stationed ourselves at convenient
places, and as they came along poured a deadly fire
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 185
into their ranks and then retreated into the woods.
We thought by this means to induce them to follow
us, but it only seemed to hurry up their march.
This we repeated three times before they reached
Cape Girardeau.
By this time we were anxious to see our families
and started back to Arkansas. Taking our drugs
that had been left with a friend, we soon met twenty-
eight of Oapt. Reed's men who insisted on our tak
ing a trip with them to Wayne county, and perhaps
as far north as Iron county. To this I consented,
detailing two of my men to take the drugs to Ar
kansas, we started on our way, marching in day time.
We passed about twenty miles south of Bloomfield
and on to Greenville, in Wayne county, arriving
there about sunset, but did not find any Federal
troops in the place to protect its loyalty. Soon after
arriving in town we heard of a company of Federals
on Lost creek under Capt. Leeper, and taking our
informant for a guide we marched at once to give
them a fight.
Reaching there about sunrise the next morning
we charged their camp, running their pickets in at
full speed, fought them only a few minutes, when
those who had not got into the brush surrendered.
In the fight we lost four men killed and six wounded,
the latter, however, all recovered. Of the enemy
we killed fifteen, wounded eight, and took ten pris
oners beside the wounded. Our booty consisted of
forty -four guns, sixty pistols, forty horses, four him-
186 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
dred dollars in greenbacks, and other articles oi
value to us and to our families.
The subject of what disposition we would make of
the prisoners came up, and in cases of the kind we
were purely democratic, so we took the vote whether
we would kill them or set them loose.
In consideration of the wrongs my family had re
ceived at their hands, and of their well-known
cruelty, I made a speech in favor of killing them
and voted accordingly.
When the whole vote was counted I found myself
in the minority by just two votes; but true to my
word I released them, unarmed and on foot.
In the evening before we had attacked them they
had killed an old man by the name of Tom McKee
-and burned his house with other buildings. This
fresh outrage was not known to us until they were
gone, or we undoubtedly would have shot them.
On being informed of this fact, however, we sent a
scout after them, but they had left the main road
and secreted themselves in the thick woods. The
wounded, however, were at our disposal, but we did
not, during the whole war get mean enough to imi
tate our enemies by killing wounded prisoners, but
placed them at the house of a widow woman who
promised to take care of them until the Federals at
Pilot Knob could have them removed.
We procured a wagon and loaded it with our booty ;
took our six wounded men and started back to Green
county, Arkansas, where we arrived without any
difficulty, and found all things right at headquarters.
3 A MU EL S. HILDEBBAND. 187
CHAPTER XXIV.
Took fifteen men. Captured three Federals. Hung one. Captured
a squad of Federals. Reception of "Uncle Bill" Hung all the
prisoners. Captured jive 'more, and hung one.
After spending the winter very agreeably, on the
10th day of March, 1364, 1 concluded to make a raid
to the vicinity of Jackson, Cape Girardeau county^
Missouri, with fifteen men, several of whom were
from that county, and knew the people and country
well.
It was to remunerate these men for the invaluable
services they had rendered me on several of my
trips that I consented to go with them.
We passed through Butler county into Stoddard,
leaving Bloomfield to the south a few miles, crossed
the southeast corner of Bollinger and into Cape
Girardeau.
Having traveled very slowly, and altogether in
the night, we had created no disturbance on our
way, nor interfered with any one, for it was our
custom to make no demonstrations until we were
ready to return.
In the latter part of the night we arrived in the
vicinity of Jackson, selected a good place and
camped for the day, during which time some of the
boys visited their friends. One of my men who was
an entire stranger in that part of the country, went
188 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
into the town to get whisky, and to see what was
going on.
On returning late in the evening he told me that
there were three Federals in town who seemed to be
well acquainted with the people, and that they were
behaving very well. He wanted to take some of
the boys and go back after them, to which I con
sented. They started off in eager haste, but soon
returned with the three prisoners, having met
them in the road some distance from town. Not
knowing them I retained them as prisoners un
til the boys came in who knew them. Being
governed by their statements, I released two of the
Federals and kept the other as a prisoner, and took
him with us when we started that night for White
Water, but we did not take him far before we tied
him to a limb.
On White Water we remained inactive several
days, receiving the kindest treatment from our
Southern friends, which enabled some of my men to
visit their friends and relatives.
About sunset one evening a citizen came to us
and stated that about an hour before nine Federals
had passed the road, and the probabilities were that
they would stop for the night at the first house.
The night was now growing very dark, and we
were soon under full pursuit of them. On nearing
the house, however, we rode very slowly, and tied
our horses in the thicket at some distance, and ap
proached the premises very cautiously. It was a
double hewed log house, with an open hall between
SAMUEL S. HILBEBRAND. 189
them, with a small cooking apartment forming an
ell to the main building, but separated from it by a
narrow hall also.
After forming my men in a line around the house
I crept to the windows and peeped into both rooms,
only one of which, however, was lighted, and in it I
could see no one except a very old lady, who might
have been a grandmother, and some little children
who were grouped around the old lady, and who
seemed to be holding a very earnest conversation
with her in a very low tone. I went around to the
kitchen window, and upon looking in to my great
joy I saw the Federals eating their supper.
The position I occupied was a very easy one, and
their conversation was so peculiarly interesting that
I could not refrain from listening. They were using
very vulgar and indecent language to the lady»
who, with all the kindness and amiability charac
teristic of her sex, was waiting upon the ruffians,
while the old gentleman was seated on a box in a
corner of the room exposed to the most outrageous
insults, accompanied with threats of the most
heineous character; but in silent fear the old man
bore their criminal epithets and bitter curses with-
our returning a word.
By this time I had heard all that my weak hu
manity could bear. I retreated from my position,
passed around the circle, and collected my men at
the entrance to the kitchen into the open hall, this
being their only place of egress, and placed an
equal number of my men on each side. I now
190 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
stepped into the door and demanded a surrender,
at which my men became impatient and rushed for
the door, but I prevented them from entering. Each
of the Federals pushed back his chair, at which I
told them that I would shoot any man who should
attempt to arise from the table with his arms, admit
ting my men at the same time. At this the Fede
rals placed their revolvers on the table and retired
according to my command to the fartherest end of
the room and formed in a line.
By this time our little disturbance had aroused
the old grandmother and the little children in the
other house, who came to the scene, the children
screaming in a terrible manner, and clinging to the
old lady's dress for protection. On reaching the
kitchen, however, the scene was quite different from
what they had expected. They halted a moment at
the door in dreadful suspense, then suddenly the
oldest girl, who was about eight years of age, sprang
suddenly into the room, exclaiming "Well, grandma !
if here ain't Uncle Bill ! " then seizing one of my
men by the hand she sobbed aloud, w'Oh Uncle Bill!
don't let the soldiers kill pa ! " at which the whole
household greeted " Uncle Bill." The old gentle
man last of all approached my man who had been
recognized and greeted with so many smiles and
such marked distinction, giving his hand slowly
while the tears trickled down his weather-beaten
cheek, and only said: "Bill, I'm glad to see you,"
my comrade receiving his hand and retaining it for
perhaps half a minute, said nothing, but turned and
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 191
introduced me as Major Hildebrand to his relative,
and to the household. As I stepped forward to re
ceive the salutation of the old gentleman of whom
I had heard so much, and knew so little, I heard one
of the prisoners remark, i( a hell of a Major," and
upon casting my eyes around I found them ready to
burst into a derisive laughter, which I must con s 'ess
took me a little back.
At this I ordered one of the rooms forming the
main building lighted, and stationing my men prop-
erly, I marched my prisoners out of the kitchen
through the little hall into the room of the main
building, put a guard over them and pickets around
the house, I returned to the kitchen with my man
now known as " Uncle Bill," to have a talk with the
old gentleman while his wife was hastily preparing
a nice little supper for us all. The old man again
took me by the hand, thanking me for my coinci
dental visit, stated that the Federals had made
several trips into the neighborhood after him, but
having been told of their threats, he had always
heretofore succeeded in eluding their search. He
also stated that the only charge they had against
him was for feeding bushwhackers, and that when
the soldiers came up to his house on the present oc
casion, just after dark, they were in the hall before
he saw them, and he had no possible way of escape
except through them.
Considering his escape so very uncertain, he re
solved to submit to his fate, and that when we made
our timely appearance he was a prisoner, sentenced
192 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
to be executed as soon as they were done supper.
He wound up his statement by saying : "Well, Major
Hildebrand, I must confess I am very agreeably dis
appointed in your general appearance ; I have long
been anxious to see you, and am surprised that you
never called on me before, but if you had done so
I should never have taken you for Sam Hildebrand.
I was led to believe, by hearing of your exploits,
that you certainly was a rough looking customer,
a perfect "raw-head and bloody-bones ;" and that
Belzebub himself would have been daunted by your
ferocious appearance."
Supper being announced eight men were left to
guard the prisoners while the others were eating,
until all had partaken of the sumptuous repast.
We were now ready for business, we marched our
prisoners out to the fence in front of the house, tied
their hands securely behind them, placed them on
their own horses and tied their feet together under
neath. Then mounting we started south, leading
the horses on which the prisoners rode. Having
traveled very fast we reached a part of the country
as day began to approach in which we felt perfect
ly safe.
Leaving the road we went into a deep ravine
about fifteen miles northeast from Bloomfield,
covered with thick undergrowth and sheltered by
heavy timber. Here we hung our prisoners. They
were really brave fellows, and submitted to their
fate without a murmur, and during our march that
night they showed not the least sign of being con-
SAMUEL S. IIILDEBRAND. 193
quered, but said they were McNeal's men, an/l that
when they went into the army it was for the pur
pose of killing Rebels, and that some of the worst
Rebels they had killed were men who were staying
at home, and the most of them professing to be
"loyal."
After disposing of our prisoners, we secreted our
horses in a dense thicket, and ten of us took our
stations on a road leading from Benton, Scott coun
ty, Missouri, to watch for Federals. We remained
here nearly all day without seeing any, and were
thinking about giving it up as a bad job and return
ing to our camps ; but when the sun was about an
hour high, in the evening, we discovered five Fede
rals wending their way slowly toward Bloomfield.
My men were divided into two parties, and were
stationed about one hundred yards apart. We al
lowed them to get nearly opposite the second squad
of which I was one, then we stepped suddenly into
the road before them and demanded a surrender, to
which they submitted, but seemed very much
alarmed. On calling up my men who had been
stationed farther down the road, and who stood at
this time behind the prisoners. They seemed some
what relieved as they recognized one of them as
being an old acquaintance, who extended his hand
cordially to all of them but one, remarking to him
that he would not shake hands with him "until he
met him in h — 11."
They now dismounted and surrendered up their
arms and their horses. I then marched them out of
9
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP
the road to a safe distance into the woods and in
quired of my man who had recognized them, con
cerning their character. He reported that all of
them were his acquaintances of long standing; that
four of them were very clever fellows, these I re
leased immediately; but the fifth one we hung after
investigating his case.
When night came we mounted our horses, and
taking our booty with us, started back to Arkansas.
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRASD. 195
CHAPTER XXV.
Put in a crop. — Started to Missouri with nine men. — Killed a sold
ier near Dallas. — Went to St. Francois county. — Watched for
Walls and Baker. — Watched near Big River Mills for McGahan
— Came near shooting Mr. Sharp. — Robbed Surges, Hughes and
Kelley of their horses. — Robbed Abrighfs store. — Captured some
Federals on White Water.
As we all belonged to the "Independent Bush
whacking Department of the Confederate States of
America," and were entirely dependent on our own
exertions for a livelihood, it was necessary now that
we should put in our crops.
For nearly two months Crowley's Ridge on which
we lived, and the adjacent country, looked as if it
contained an industrious little community of "honest
farmers."
The axe was heard in every direction ; the smoke
from burning brush was curling up from a thousand
fires, and at night the little boys and girls were
making bright fires until midnight, under the im
pression hinted at by their fathers that it was "such
fun." All da}7 long the women were out in full
force with their hoes and their rakes, unmindful of
the music of crying babies heard at nearly every
cabin. Mothers are nearly always deaf while plant
ing out onions; it is a little season of orphanage
through which most children in the country have to
196 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
pass once a year. We have all passed through that
bitter day with red eyes, and it is no wonder that the
sight of an onion in after life is so apt to bring tears
in our eyes.
I put in a good crop of corn, and my wife made an
excellent garden with no help but the children. I
am very much tempted to brag a little on my excel
lent wife, but if I were to assert that I had the best
wife in the world, each one of my male readers who
are married would want me to except his own ; this
would render the exceptions so numerous that my
wife would come in nearly last, so I will say nothing
about it, and keep my own opinion to myself.
After plowing my crop over once I made prepara
tion for another trip to Missouri, but we had all got
into such a good humor while busily engaged in
farming, that we were nearly two days recounting
our grievances before we were mad enough to think
of snatching our enemies into eternity.
Taking nine men, one of whom had served under
Quantrel, we started on the 25th day of May, 1864,
for another raid into Missouri, Crossing the St.
Francis river at the southwest corner of Stoddard
county, we went into Scott county and watched
three days and nights to catch some men we were
after, but failing in this we went in the direction of
Dallas, the county seat of Bollinger.
My men wanted to return, as nothing of an excit
ing interest had transpired so far ; but at my earnest
solicitation they agreed to go with me one more
day. The next morning we were traveling in day
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRANB. 197
time, and had not proceeded more than four or five
miles when we discovered a party of Federals,
seven in number, who had discovered us and were
under full speed toward the town of Dallas, which
was at that time garrisoned by about one hundred
Dutch soldiers. We dashed on after them ; the race
was a very exciting one. When we had gone about
six miles we began to gain on them, and when we
got within a mile of the garrison one of their horses
fell, giving the rider a thump on the ground that
knocked him senseless until we were upon him.
We disarmed him, and as his horse had not left, we
made him mount and go with us about two miles in
the woods.
The Dutchman seemed very much alarmed, and
gave us enough broken English for a good sized
volume; but as soon as we arrived in a thick tim
bered hollow between the hills, we quietly sent his
spirit back to the Khine where it never should have
left. In a few hours we called at the house of a
friend, fed our horses and got some refreshments for
ourselves.
To the Flat Woods, in St. Francois county, we
then made our way, and remained there about
twenty-four hours, after which we went to the ex
treme northern part of the county, and concealed
ourselves among the Pike Run hills. Those hills
are perhaps the most rugged part of the whole State,
and are covered with a dense thicket of under
brush, making it a wild, uninhabited wilderness.
These hilk not being far from Bi£ river, they afforded
8 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
me a secure place for my temporary headquarters
while searching around for my enemies.
Early in the morning I engaged the services of a
well known friend, who feigned business in several
parts of the neighborhood, who returned at night
and reported that only two of my persecutors were
at home, whose name were James Walls and John
Baker.
^n the following morning when the light of day
again pierced through the gloom of our retreat I
went and stationed myself near the house where
they both resided.
I did not watch long before Walls came out onto
the porch. But I had failed to get a position suffi
ciently near for me to kill him at the house; I was
watching for them to come to the wood pile, which
would only have been about one hundred yards. I
could always hit a spot as large as a man's hand at
that distance with old "Kill-devil."
About ten o'clock two men rode up to the house,
alighted and went in ; they came out again in half
an hour followed by both Walls and Baker, who
started of in an opposite direction from where I lay.
I then changed my position to the opposite side of
the house, thinking they probably would return
soon.
I remained quietly until the sun had dipped be
hind the western hills, then I returned to camp
where I again found my friend who had acted as a
spy for me. He told me that he had seen Baker and
Walls going in the direction of Da Soto with two
S. IIILDEBRA&D.
other men. one of whom stated to him that "Sain
Hildebrand was thought to be in the country, from
the fact that strange and very rough looking rneri
had been seen at several public places, and that
they were thought to be fiildebrand's men."
The reader will here understand that these un
warrantable scares were very irequentin this vicin
ity; one poor ragged stranger making his appear
ance in the neighborhood was sufficient at any time
to raise the cry of "Hildebrand," at which all who
had wronged me would squat like young quails.
Knowing that any further efforts to kill either
Walls or Baker would be fruitless, I concluded to
run the risk of watching the town of Big Biver
Mills, which was at that time a place of rendezvous
for the Militia, where they generally collected be
fore starting out against me.
I accordingly took my station on a bluff overlook
ing the main road leading from the settlement of
my old enemies to that place, being about a quarter
of a mile below the town and fifty yards from the
road. At daylight I was on the bluff and ready for
business. During the day people passed the road at
intervals of from fifteen minutes to half an hour;
but none of them were the men I wanted to kill.
From the position I occupied I could easily recog
nize the features of any one with whom I was for
merly acquainted.
In the evening, about an hour by sun, I discovered
a man riding slowly and alone toward the town,
whom I recognized as Joe McGahan. A thrill of
200 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP
intense satisfaction pervaded my whole system,
which it would be folly in me to attempt to describe.
The English language from its high standard of dig
nity to its inexhaustible mine of scathing invective
would be inadequate to describe the supreme con
tempt I felt for that man. When I reflected that
one of the men who had dipped his hands in the
blood of my brothers was now within the range of
my gun, my feelings of joy, mingled with a hope of
success was indescribable. Nearer and nearer he
came, unconscious that retributive justice was hang
ing over his head ; and as he approached the de
sired point I raised my trusty rifle to my face, placed
my finger on the trigger, and was nearly in the act
of pulling when the man turned his face a little to
ward me, when I discovered the sad and almost
fatal mistake, that instead of being McGrahan it was
a man by the name of Sharp. He was a Union man
living near by, but was a worthy man and highly
esteemed by all who knew him. I almost involun
tarily hailed him in order to explain and apologize,
but was checked instantly by the return of reason-
As he passed slowly out of sight my eyes were
riveted on him until a point of the bluff around which
he had passed broke -the spell. I was deeply ab
sorbed in thought, and the question naturally arose
in my mind, why I should have been so often
thwarted in my attempts to meet out justice to one
who was a scourge to the land that gave him birth,
and who had not even the magnanimity of the rat-
SAMUEL *. H1LDEBRAND. 201
tlesnake whose alarm is heard before the blow is
struck.
I arrived finally to the conclusion that his Satanic
Majesty, who still ruled the infernal regions with
out a rival, was jealous of his protege upon earth
where he still needed his services, and that he wished
to delay the period when he woul d te compelled to
doff his crown to a superior.
I did not remain long in ambush after I had come
so near committing a terrible error; but hastened
through the woods, back to my retreat among the
Pike Run hills, and found my men awaiting my re
turn with anxious impatience. As soon as it was
dark we started south, and after midnight reached
the pinery, southwest from Farmington, and slept
there until late in the morning. Our horses were
much fagged, we saw that it was best to swap them
off before proceeding on our journey.
During the day we stationed ourselves near the
plank road between Farmington and Pilot Knob, to
watch for an opportunity of exchanging horses. A
large company of Federals passed by, but they were
too numerous for our purpose. Toward evening we
saw three men approaching who were mounted
upon fine looking horses. The names of the men.
were BurgeSj Hughes and Kelley. We lost no time
in capturing the party, and to prevent them from re
porting us too soon, we made them go with us seve
ral miles over the rugged hills and deep ravines.
Not understanding this movement, they seemed
$02 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
much alarmed, thinking probably that we designed
"barking" them.
Old man Burges begged manfully for his life, and
shed s*n occasional tear; bat I told him that as they
were not Federal soldiers, and that as I had no per
sonal animosity against them, it would be barbarous
in the extreme for us to harm them. We took their
horses, gave them our own and then released them.
They left seemingly very well pleased with the ar
rangement, and as we had rather out-jockeyed them,
we certainly had no right to complain.
We kept near the road leading to Pilot Knob un
til near sunset, when we came to Abrighl's store.
Abright was a good Union Dutchman, and was not
in the habit of crediting bushwhackers, so we rob
bed his store of all we wanted and then taking the
woods we changed our course.
Night soon overtook us, arid we traveled eastward
until we got into the neighborhood where Mr. Bess
resided, on White Water. It was now late in the
morning, and we took our position on the top of a
high hill where we had a fine view of the surround
ing country, and especially of the main road along
which the Federals were in the habit of passing
from Cape Girardeau to Fredericktown.
In the evening, while most of us were sleeping,
my pickets discovered a small squad of soldiers
about half a mile off, making their way westward.
On being awakened I directed my men to follow
me, went down to the road which was skirted by
very thick undergrowth, where we secreted our
SAMUEL 3. MILDEBRANB.
selves in two parties about fifty yards apart, giving
orders not to fire on the Federals unless they showed
fight or attempted to run. When they got near the
second squad we stepped out into the road and de
manded them to surrender. Our appearance was
so sudden that they had no time to draw their
weapons. Several of them wheeled their horses for
a run, but on discovering themselves faced on that
side also they threw up their hands in token of a
willingness to surrender.
I made them dismount and stack their arms
against a tree; after which we marched them into
the woods to where our horses were and proceeded
to question them.
Then I told them who I was, at which they seemed
rather pleased, and remarked that they had often
heard of me, and although they had no desire to fall
into my hands as prisoners of war, yet they always
wished to see me.
I asked them if they had not heard of me as being
a bushwhacker and withal a very bad man, and
that I was in the habit of killing all my prisoners.
"Oh, yes !" said their leader, "we have heard that
you did not regard the life of a personal enemy as
of any value, but we have seen several men whom
you had released who told us that you was quite a
different man from the fabulous blood-thirsty Hilde-
brand we have heard so much about in timid circles."
Upon producing papers which satisfied us that
they were neither McNeal's orLeeper's men, but be
longed to th& command of Ool. Beverage of Cape
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
Girardeau, we released them unarmed and afoot.
We went on toward Bollinger's Mill, but when in
that vicinity on the next morning about sunrise, we
met two Federals in the road, who instantly wheeled
their horses and dashed through the woods at full
speed.
Being burdened with the horses and the arms we
had taken from our prisoners on the day previous,
all of us could not engage in the pursuit. Captain
Snap, myself and two men started after them at full
speed, and caught them in less than half a mile.
They stopped and threw up their hands before we
were within two hundred yards of them. I was al
most tempted to shoot them for being cowards.
After taking them back to our boys, we went on
the top of an adjacent hill and camped for the day.
We ascertained from the prisoners that they were
new recruits, which was corroborated by some let
ters from their friends which they happened to have
in their pockets.
K nowing that they had not been in the army long
enough to have committed many depredations, we
decided to release them; but as we were already
burdened with horses we took them along with us
to assist with our stock until we had passed Mingo
Swamp, and then released them. A few days after
wards we arrived safely in Green county, Arkansas.
SAMUEL *. HILDEBKAND,
CHAPTER
XXYL
Started to St. Francois county, Missouri. — Hung Vogus and Zlm-
mer. — Hung George Hart. — Concealed in Pike Run Hills. —
Started back. — Hung Mr. Met? a negro, and another Qtie*~-Took
two deserters back and hung them.
After remaining a few days with my family, I yielded
to the solicitation of Captain Bowman to take a trip to
St. Francois county, Missouri, for the purpose of cap
turing a young man by the name of George Hart, who,
on a scout with some militia, had killed Captain Bow
man's brother in order to get a very fine horse that he
rode.
Our company, consisting of nine men, started on the
20th day of June, 1864 ; we traveled altogether in the
night, and on the morning of the 26th we camped for
the day on Wolf creek, about six miles from Farming-
ton. During the day one of my men clad himself in
citizen's clothes, which we always carried along for
such emergencies, and went into Farmington to see
the sights and to get a bottle of good old "tangle-foot."
When night came our man had not made his appear
ance; we immediately arrested a couple of Dutchmen
for the purpose of eliciting information from them con.
cerning the military force in town, thinking that prob
ably my man had been taken in by the soldiers as a spy.
The men we arrested were Henry Yogus and John
Dimmer, who stated that there were no forces in town
206 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
at that time, and that there had been no soldiers there
for nearly a month. They affirmed that they had been
there that day, and that if we did not believe them they
would go with us to town and prove the matter. At
this juncture my man came in and reported a company
of soldiers in the town who had been there for some
time. It was now evident to our minds that the Dutch
men were aiming to trap us. I will here state that
during the whole war the Dutch went further, tried
harder and risked more for my capture than any other
people. A very short consultation was sufficient to
seal the fate of our two prisoners on the present occas
ion; we hung them and went on our way rejoicing.
Passing a short distance east of Farmington, we stopped
at the house of Boss Jelkyl, who was at that time Pro
vost Marshal, and took such things as we needed.
Some of my men were anxious to kill him, but he had
befriended me on one occasion, and I would not permit
them to do so.
From there we went to the residence of Charles Hart,
where we found his son George, whom we were after.
We stationed men at the back door and demanded ad
mittance at the front; the old man in a short time
opened the door, and in obedience to our orders struck
a light. On demanding George Hart he made his ap
pearance, looking very much condemned. On asking
him about the horse he had taken when he murdered
young Bowman, ho stated that he had traded him off,
and that he was out of the country. We then told him
that he must go with us, to which he made no objec
tion, but was very anxious to know what w& wished tq
SAMUEL &. HILDEBRANB. 207
do with him; we told him to wait and soe. Before we
had taken him far, he became satisfied that he would
be killed, and made us some offers for his life, which
Captain Bowman silenced in a few words by asking
him if he thought he was able to pay for the life of
young Bowman whom he had murdered in cold blood.
^Ve traveled about eight miles with our prisoner, during
which time he made a complete confession.
Daylight began to appear; we were now about a mile
from Big Biver Mills, and not wishing to be encum-
bereci by a prisoner, we took some hickory bark and
hung him to a dogwood sapling. One of his feet touched
the ground, so we placed it in the fork of a bush,
which completed the process of hanging.
The main object of our trip having been accomplished,
our next move was to get supplies of summer clothing
for our families, which we decided on taking from an
old meddlesome Union German in Jefferson county by
the name of Lepp, who had a store on a small creek
called Swashen. We accordingly proceeded to the
place and found the old man in his store ; he was close-
fisted and not in the habit of crediting, but we succeeded
in getting all we wanted at very low figures, and after
promising him our patronage in the future we started
back.
Knowing that our operations about Farmington
would create a great excitement, that the forces at
Pilot Knob, Farmington, Potosi, Fredericktown and
the Iron Mountain with the irrepressible Big River
Militia, would all be put on our trail, we decided to
travel by night and to get out of the country as soon
$ AUTOBIOGRAPHY ©I
as possible. But we were overruled by a power higher
than our own, and our plans were in some measure
thwarted.
On our way to rob Lepp's store, one of my men
complained of feeling unwell, and by the time we had
rode ten miles on our return he became too sick to sit
upon his horse. We retreated to a cave in the Pike
Run hills where we could conceal ourselves, our horses
and our goods while administering to the wants of our
sick comrade. Our situation here was indeed a very
critical one, and had it not been for the kindness of a
true Southern friend, who supplied us at night with
provisions and horse feed, we undoubtedly would have
suffered ; he risked his own life to save us; and in addi
tion to his other acts of kindness he procured the ser
vices of a physician, who checked the-diseaso in a few
days.
It is needless to state that during all- this time the
country was literally flooded with Federal soldiers
who hunted for me on their same old plan, of riding
along the road, threatening women and children, and
killing chickens.
After remaining at the Pike Bun hills seven or eight
days, our comrade was sufficiently recovered to mount
his horse. As he was yet quite weak we thought it
best to travel during daylight at the commencement of
our trip. We rode slowly through the woods, and
avoided the soldiers by keeping out of the public roads,
and by shunning all places where liquor could be ob
tained. On reaching the vicinity of my brothers-in-
law, on Flat river, we met old Isaac, a negro belonging
SAMUEL S. ttlLDEBKAND. 209
to Mr. Metis, carrying a bridle around his shoulder*
As we were dressed in Federal uniform he mistook us
for Union soldiers, and in answer to our inquiries, made
a lengthy report against the Southern men in that
neighborhood, clearly implicating the Simms family as
well as the Shannons and Sweeneys, He said he would
have reported sooner, but that he was afraid they
would suspicion him and get Sam Hildebrand to put
him out of the way.
The report he made to us, if told to a squad of Fed*
orals, was sufficient to have consigned those Southern
men to an ignominious death without any further evi
dence. The charge was this: that in his opinion " if
Sam Hildebrand was to call at their houses and ask
for something to eat, that they would feed him until he
was as plump as a stuffed turkey." Some of my boys
wanted to shoot him to prevent him from making that
awful revelation to the Federal authorities ; but I ob
jected, because the sound of a gun might lead to our
discovery. We quietly lashed him to a horse which
we were leading, took him among the hills toward
Westover's mill and hung him. On searching his
pockets for a knife I found a pocket book containing
sixty-four dollars. Some of the boys proposed that as
they seemed to have money we should take in a few
negroes until our pockets were replenished. On the
next day we came suddenly across one in the woods ;
as we were traveling slowly it was ntcessary that we
should get through the country without being reported.
Having no spare rope, we hung the negro with hickory
210 AUfOBIQ&RAPHY OF
bark; but on searching his pockets we found nothing
but a cob pipe.
Nothing else worthy of note occurred until we reach
ed the vicinity of Greenville, While camped for the
day on a high elevation, we discovered two men eom->
ing up the bill toward us. Under the supposition that
they were tracking u», we were about to shoot them,,
but discovered presently that they were not armed,
They eam/e leisurely up the hill, walking as if they
were- very tired, and got within fifteen steps of our
camp before they discovered it, Their first impulses1
was to run, but we ordered them to &urrender, and
they abandoned all idea of being able to make- their
escape. They proved to be deserters from the Federal
army at Ironton, who were making their way to their
homes at JSTew Madrid. One of my men knew them
well, and to him they are indebted to this day for their
lives,- "We kept them with us until night and then per
mitted them to continue their journey.
We were no little amused at the many horrible tales-
of pillage and blood-shed that they &aid were reported
daily at the Federal camps about my deprecations*
The strangest part of it was that many of those enor
mities were committed on the same dar and in locali
ties very remote- from each other-
When night came the rest of the company proceeded
on to Arkansas "f but Captain Bowman, Traster and
myself concluded to- go into- Shannon county after a
couple of deserters who, in the early part of the wai>
had belonged to Captain Bolin^s command. While with
««r however, they were- of no serviee/being too cow-
SAJtfUEL €. HIIjfrEBRAND. '211
I
ardly to fight and too lazy to steal; but since their
desertion they were constantly reporting every squad
of rebels who visited that section of country, and were
in the habit of annoying Southern citizens in that
neighborhood.
On reaching tlae neighborhood where Jthey lived we
learned that they had gon<e to Irontou, and the sup
position was that t&ey had «gone there for the purpose
of joining the Union army. But on the next day they
returned; we quietly arrested them, got them out of
the country without creating any alarm and marched
them back to Green county, Arkansas, where we hung
ihem in the presence of the command.
212 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTEE XXVII.
Started with nine men to St. Francois county. — Stopped in tJie
Pike Run Hills. — Robbed the store of Christopher Le-pp.—Hunp
Mr. Kinder's negro. — Attacked by Federals. — Rilled two and
tost a -man. — Shot two soldiers on a furlough. — TJie strange
tamp.
I had not been at home long before I formed the ac
quaintance of a man by the name of G ibson, who had
come to our little Green County Confederacy for the
purpose of joining the "bushwhacking department/'
Gibson was a man possessing some superior advan
tages over most of Capt. Bolin's men ; he had an ac
complished education, and was endowed with a pecu
liar faculty of making all the men like him. He was
the best marksman in our whole company, with one
single exception ; and that exception, I must modestly
assert for the sake of truth, was myself.
On the 16th day of July, I selected Gibson and eight
other men for another trip into St. Francois county.
Having made so many failures in that quarter, I had
some forebodings that I would again meet with disap
pointments ; but I had long since resolved to let my
old enemies have no peace while I labored under no
greater disadvantages than I did. It is true that they
were backed by a great nation of untold wealth, whose
enemies actually in the field numbered more than one
million and a half of armed men, and whofce line o
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRANB. 213
garrisoned territory extended one hundred and fifty
miles south of their nest on Big river; yet while I
thought that I was backed by the South with her
armies of three hundred thousand men, I asked no bet
ter amusement than that of striking at my enemies
under the ponderous wing of Federal protection.
Unlike my enemies, I had no commissary depart
ment, no steam presses running night and day striking
off greenbacks, no outlet to other nations by commer
cial treaties, no people at my back willing to be sad
dled with a debt of three or four thousand millions of
dollars merely to carry into effect a Utopian idea.
My long marches had to be made in the night and with
the utmost caution and secrecy. The woods were my
home, the moon my orb of light, and the hooting owls
my spectators.
My enemies long since had learned to fear my name;
the fear of retributive justice was sufficient to make
them cower; their militia organization only assumed a
tangible shape when I was absent ; for on my approach
they secreted themselves so securely that nothing short
of the prolonged sound of Gabriel's trump could ever
be able to bring them forth.
We passed quietly through Butler county, along the
western line of Madison, then through St. Francois and
across Big river to those native hills and hunting
grounds of my boyhood, known as the Pike Run hills.
The reader munt bear in mind that these hills pos
sess peculiar advantages over any other part of the
country between St. Louis *and the Arkansas line.
They look like the fragments of a broken up
214 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
world piled together in dread confusion, and termin
ating finally in an abrupt bluff on the margin of Big
river, where nature has left a cavern half way up the
perpendicular rock, now known as " The Hildebrand
Cave," the mouth to which cannot be seen either from
the top or bottom.
Among these rugged hills, covered over by the dense
forest and wild grape vines, are many yawning cav
erns known to some hunters, while there are doubtless
many others never yet seen by the eye of man. "We
took up our abode in one of these caverns during the
inclemency of the weather, and as the ground was too
soft to venture out on horseback, for fear of leaving a
trail, I went around through the Big river neighbor
hood on foot, for the purpose of finding some of my
enemies. The only one I saw was James Craig; I dis
covered him one day in the act of leaving home on
foot, so I«nade a circuit through the woods and
stationed myself in advance with the intention of ar
resting him. I wished to take him to n^ cavern that
my comrades also might see him hung; but he never
came along, and thus I missed my game entirely.
By this time my men were tired of inaction, so we
started on our march, and on going about fifteen miles
we came to a place called the Tunnel, on the Iron
Mountain railroad.
From the store of Christopher Lepp, we supplied
ourselves with all the articles that we coiild conven
iently carry, took our back track to the crossing of Big
river, near the ruins of the Hildebrand homestead, and
made our way toward Castor creek, for the purpose
SAMUEL S. HIL&EBRAND. 215
of squelching a negro belonging to Mr. Kinder. This
negro had become notorious for his meddlesome na
ture, and his propensity for reporting white men. On
the night of our arrival there, we succeeded in finding
him, and to satisfy ourselves thoroughly in regard to
his meanness, we passed ourselves off for Federals, and
questioned him concerning his old master. He very
freely and exultingly proceeded to relate the many
reasons he had for believing that he was disloyal. We
asked him whether or not he was willing for us to kill
the old man. He told us that he would kill him him
self if we would see him out in itj that the soldiers had
told him two or three months ago that if he would kill
him that he should have the farm, but that as yet
he had not succeeded in getting a good opportunity.
At this we were satisfied that he would make good
food for the buzzards, so we hung him up for that pur
pose, and started on our way.
We were now traveling in day time and pursuing
our way very leisurely, when about four o'clock in the
evening, we were trailed up and ran into by a company
of Federals, who had probably been trailing us all day.
They ran on to us in good earnest, and seemed very
anxious for the honor of capturing or killing me. The
manner of their attack is worthy of note. On getting
within sight of us they held back until we were passing
over the backbone of a ridge, then they made a rush,
and on getting to the top of the hill were within one
hundred yards of us. Their elevation caused them to
over shoot all of us except one poor fellow, one of our
new recruits, who was shot through the head. W«
216 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
dashed into the brush and went over that rough conn-
try about a mile at full speed; then giving up our horses
to the other men with directions where to meet us,
Gibson, myself and two others, started back on foot to
" bushwhack " them. On getting within two hundred
yards of where jmr dead man lay, we saw them exult
ing over their victory. I directed my men to make
their way around and take their positions along the
road where they could get a shot, while I taok it upon
myself to run them back. I crawled up within one
hundred yards of the party, got a bead on one of them,
and when I fired he fell from his horse within a few
feet of where our dead man lay. This was all that was
necessary to put them on their back track, and they
were off at full speed j as they passed my men they all
ured in turn, Gibson brought one to the ground, but I
think the other boys missed their aim, although they
insisted to the last that they wounded a man apiece.
We secured the horses belonging to the two men we
killed, and started on our journey, and on the follow
ing morning took up quarters within eight miles of
Bloomfield.
During the day, myself and Bill E-ucker, walked
down to a plum thicket near the road, and while wo
were there eating plums, we discovered two Dutchmen
dressed in citizens' clothes passing by. We called to
them to come and get some plums, which they readily
consented to do. As we were dressed in Federal uni
form they seemed at once to take us for Union sol
diers. We asked them to what command they be
longed j who they were, and why they w«r« not in
SAMUEL 8. HILDEBRAND. 217
the service. They said they belonged to Leeper's corn-
man d, and were on a furlough to see their uncle living
at Mine LaMotte, that they had on borrowed clothes
and no arms in order to fool the Kebels, should they
meet any. We found out a great deal about " Bolin's
and Hildebrand's band of murderers and ropers/' as
they called us. We shot them both, and returned to
camp. At night we started on, and in a few days ar
rived safely at our usual place of crossing the St.
Francis.
We arrived on the bank of the river just after dark,
and were startled by the appearance of a camp on the
other side at the mouth of a little creek. We could
easily perceive the reflection from several camp fires
among the trees, and more than once we caught the
sound of human voices.
Could it be possible that this was a camp of Fede
rals ? If so, why did they not place out their pickets ?
The more we studied about the matter the further were
we from coming to any conclusion.
We rode back into the timbered bottom and con
tinued our way down the country at some distance
from the river, until we were about a mile below the
strange looking camp, and there crossed the river by
swimming it.
After continuing up the river a short distance we
rode on to a high brushy point and dismounted. Then
taking it on foot I proceeded to spy out the mysterious
camp above us. I continued to approach cautiously
watching closely for the pickets, but I saw nothing of
them. Finally I stood in the midst of perhaps a dozen
10
218 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
little brush shanties, and yet saw not a single human
being. I was more puzzled than ever. I peeped into
one of the brush arbors and a lady's voice cried out :
" Who is that ?" The alarm spread, and I heard the
voices of women in every direction.
Presently I heard the voice of my wife, and on go
ing to her I soon learned the particulars of the calam
ity that had befallen our community in our absence.
SAMU1L S. HILDEBRAND.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Capt. John, with a company of Federals, burns the Headquarters
in Green county, Arkansas. — He is "bushwhacked," routed and
killed. — Raid into Washington tounty with fourteen men. — At'
tacked by twenty Federals. — Killed a Union man for piloting
Capt. John.
A few days before my arrival in Arkansas, our lit
tle community of women and children at headquarters,
were suddenly aroused from their slumbers one morn
ing by the firing of a gun, and found themselves sur
rounded by a whole company of Federals under the
command of Capt. John from Ironton, Missouri.
All the men were absent on different scouting expe
ditions, except eight men, who happened to be in camp
that morning; they seized their guns and endeavored
to make their escape, but seven of them were shot
down, and the other made his escape unhurt. The Fed
erals immediately commenced burning the houses, af
ter taking all the provisions and clothing they could
find.
The women in great consternation, gathered their
children, and in their night clothes huddled together
in the centre of the square j there in their helpless cSn-
dition to watch the devouring flames that was fast
winding around them and reducing their homes to
ashes.
Before the houses were all in flames however, Capt.
220 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
John ordered his men to supply the women with what
clothing they could snatch from the flames.
After their hasty toilet was concluded their terror
subsided, and with perfect composure they watched
the progress of the flames without betraying any emo
tion; they were determined that the Federals should
be 'deprived [the satisfaction of believing that they
had triumphed over their spirit of eternal enmity to
the FederaFcause.
Some of our boys who had been out on a hunt now
returned toward the camp, and before they were aware
the Federals fired upon them and killed two of their
number. As the scouts were in the habit of coming in
from various directions, it was impossible to give them
warning before they were completely in the Federal
trap.
A few hours after the tragedy commenced, the Fed
erals had all left, and the women in squads of five or
six, went in different directions and camped a few
miles off to meet the scouts as they returned.
My wife and her party had camped near the St.
Francis river, and were living on fish when I returned.
The Federals were still in the neighborhood, burning
the farm houses, mills and shops.
On the same night that I learned these particulars,
I sent all my men out in different directions to ferret
out the enemy and to'meet at a designated place before
daylight. With much difficulty we succeeded in find
ing several squads of the Federals, trom which we in
ferred, that finding our men mostly absent, they had
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 221
divided into many little bands to finish their work of
devastating the country as soon as possible.
We met at the time and place designated, and con
cluded that our only chance was to "bushwhack" the
Federals, and thus drive them out of the country as
soon as possible. Two men were detailed to take a
trip up Black river, to notify Capt. Bolin, and as many
men as they could find, of what was going on, that they
might intercept the Federals and " bushwhack " them
after I should succeed in routing them from the
country.
In less than an hour our company was increased to
fifteen men. We hastened on foot toward the lower
end of the settlement, and on getting within half a
mile of a farm house, we saw about thirty Federals en
gaged in burning the buildings. We heard the dis
charge of a gun, and on looking in that direction, we
saw a Federal reel in his saddle and then fall to the
earth. Two soldiers on horseback immediately dashed
toward the point where the shot proceeded from, and
in an instant we saw a boy about thirteen years of
age, crawl out of a gully and start toward the point of
the hill where we were with the soldiers after him.
The boy had so much the start of them that we saw
he could easily reach us before the Federals could
overtake him. We lay concealed in the thick brush
and let the boy pass without seeing us; the soldiers
were soon in our midst; we rose up and made them
surrender without creating any alarm. We tied them
securely and awaited the approach of others who might
be sent out in search of these two.
222 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
The boy was greatly overjoyed when he found out
who we were. In about half an hour ten Federals
came riding up toward us. Our prisoners had been re
moved back half a mile and hung to prevent an alarm.
We saluted the Federals with a sudden discharge from
our rifles, and six of them dropped from their horses ;
the others suddenly wheeled and made their escape.
The other soldiers hastened on to an adjoining ridge
and kept up a harmless fire against us for two or three
hours; they did this to divert our attention as it ap
pears, for before we were fully aware of the fact a fresh
force of Federals, numbering perhaps forty men, com
menced a deadly fire upon us in our rear, and soon
drove us from our position. Our retreat was rather
disorderly, and before we had succeeded in crossing a
ravine and gaining the opposite ridge, four of my men
were killed and two others slightly wounded. We con
tinued our retreat for five miles, and then placed our
selves in position to rake the Federals without much
danger to ourselves. Here we remained for several
hours, and were loth to leave the place, but it finally
became apparent to us that the intention of the Fed
erals was to burn out the neighborhood, and then to
hasten back before we could collect our men together.
We wound our way through the woods toward our
old headquarters. Late in the evening we heard
firing in front, and in an instant we started in that di
rection, but wore soon met by eight of our men who
had just returned from a scout, without knowing what
was going on. As they were on the retreat we did not
feel justifiable in trying to make a stand against sueh
SAMUEL S. HiLD£B*AtfD. 223
superior numbers, so we diverged to the right and let
the Federals pass without attracting their attention.
On the night following we succeeded in finding the
Federal camp, and during the whole night continued
to " bushwhack " them at intervals, until we bad killed
eight or ten of their pickets. The next morning they
seemed to have taken up their march for Missouri, but
during the whole day we annoyed them all we could,
by posting ourselves in positions where we had the ad
vantage, and thereby picked off several of them. Late
in the evening they made an attempt to follow us into
the woods, but we attacked the party on every side }
the slaughter was terrible, and we finally put them to
rout after killing Capt. John himself, and quite a num
ber of his men.
We discovered among the Federals, several citizens,
whom we afterwards learned had gone from Missouri
for the purpose of giving all the assistance in their
power toward ferreting out our headquarters.
Wearied by constant fighting, I and my men now
returned to the neighborhood of our old camp, leaving
a fresh supply of Capt. Bolin's men to continue "bush
whacking" the Federals until they should return to
their hive in Ironton.
After we had completely routed Capt. John's in*
cendiaries and driven them from the country, our con
dition was indeed deplorable.
Without shelter for our families save a few htits that
the Federals did not consider worth burning, into
each of which two or three families were huddled,
without bedding or a change of clothing, and but littl*
224 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
food, we were indeed in adverse circumstances. Sev
eral of our men were compelled to remain at head
quarters several months to repair damages. Our fam
ilies, in their crowded condition, became unhealthy,
and several of the children died. While we were ar
ranging matters for the comfort and convenience of
our families, we obtained our supplies from the border
counties of Missouri by making short raids ; our bed
ding and provisions, however, we obtained in a great
measure, from our friends; but we occasionally
branched out further to rob the stores and houses of
Union men.
Another great difficulty under which we labored was
the entire absence of surgical aid for our wounded, for
the want of which many of our men who recovered
were so deformed that they were forever afterward
rendered unfit for active duty.
The whole available force of our community now
only amounted to eighty available men, and by the
time that we had rebuilt twenty houses and a tempo
rary mill, our numbers were still further reduced by
desertion, for many of them now left and went into
Texas. While these repairs were going on we held a
council, in which it was decided that half our men
might take the field against our enemies in Missouri,
and make them pay for the damage that "we had sus
tained. In doing this, however, we had no intention
of applying the torch to the dwellings of our Union
enemies; we were never mean enough for that; we
made no war upon women and children; that kind of
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 225
warfare was exclusively used by our enemies of boasted
civilization, refinement and magnanimity.
I started to Washington county, Missouri, with four
teen men to obtain supplies of clothing and ammuni
tion. With a great deal of caution we made our way
up Black river through Butler and Eeynolds counties,
and entered Washington county on her extreme south
ern line, traveling only at night, and concealing our
selves each day among the rugged hills of Black river.
We visited a store and packed several horses which
we had taken in the neighborhood, with shoes, domes
tics and calicoes ; and here we found some concealed
ammunition, which we appropriated. On starting back
we traveled slowly ; not having heard of any Federals
in the neighborhood, we imagined ourselves safe, and
designed traveling in the day time. As we were so
familiar with all the roads and by-paths in this section
of country, we generally felt safe while on our re
turn to Arkansas, but on this occasion we were
doomed to disappointment.
We had gone but a short distance into Eeynolds
county, when we were suddenly attacked by a party
of Federals, numbering perhaps twenty or twenty-five •
they had trailed us from the store we had robbed, and
now they came upon us with a perfect fury.
Being heavily packed and encumbered with the
horses we were leading, we could not run j at their fire
one of my men was killed, at which I took ad
vantage of their empty guns, wheeled my men into the
brush, dismounted, and in an instant returned their
fire, at which three of their number fell j I dashed for-
226 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
ward with about half my men and succeeded in gaining
their rear. My party in front and my men in the rear
now made a simultaneous charge upon them with our
revolvers, killing two more and wounding several, in
which two of my men were wounded, but not mortally.
In the fight all the other Federals charged over us
and got away, with the exception of eight prisoners,
three of whom were wounded. The result of the lit
tle fight was, five dead Federals, thirteen horses, eigh
teen guns and ten revolvers; having lost one man
killed and two wounded, but not sufficiently to keep
them from traveling.
After I had inspected the damages, I turned my at
tention to the prisoners, who were dismounted, dis
armed and sitting by the roadside, under guard. On
approaching them two of them arose, called me by
name and asked permission to shake hands with me.
After a short conversation I found that they were two
of the men I had captured on Lost creek, in Wayne
county, during the month of May, 1863, whom I re
leased after negotiating with them for the escape of
two of Capt. Bolin's men in prison at Ironton. On
recognizing them I again gave them my hand in reas
surance that I appreciated the services they had ren
dered us in proving true to their word, and could not
help telling them that I was glad to see them. After
the ceremony incident to the renewal of our acquaint
ance was over, I began making preparations for con
tinuing our journey after having first buried the dead.
I told our two Union friends that they were again
released, together with their three wounded comrades,
SAMUEL S. IIILDEBRAND. 227
but that I would take the other three along with me ;
they, however, plead manfully for the release of their
three friends, but I told them that I was compelled to
have their assistance in getting along with our stock,
until we reached Greenville, at which place, for their
sake, I would release them, and true to my word, I did
so.
We made our way to Green county with as much
haste as prudence would permit ; being too much bur
dened to " bushwhack" any of those citizens who had
accompanied Capt. John into our little confederacy,
we concluded to let them rest for the present; but hav
ing accidently met one in the road, I shot him through
the head and rode on. We found all things cheerful
about headquarters, and soon divided our goods among
the needy families.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTEB XXIX.
Took a raid into Missouri with four men. — Killed a Federal. —
Killed two of Capt. Milks' men. — Started to DeSoto. — Routed
by the Federals. — Adventure with a German. — Killed three Fed
erals on Black river.
In the latter part of August, 1864, I selected four
men and started after some of my old enemies on Big
river.
At this period they had all disappeared except three
or four who still ventured to call their old residences
their homes, but they stayed most of their time around
the Federal camps anxiously waiting for the time to
come when the Federal authorities would succeed,
either in killing or capturing me, when a new era of
peace and quiet would again bless them in the pursuit
of theft and murder.
Those of the old mob who had left their homes and
were now dwelling, as they supposed, in utter obscuri
ty, were not lost sight of by me, for I kept myself
posted in regard to all their movements. The especial
object of this trip was to penetrate the enemies coun
try as far as De Soto, Jefferson county, Missouri, and
surprise a couple of the old mob who now lived in that
vicinity, and before the authorities were aware of our
unholy presence, to have our little mission of ven
geance completed. On passing Bloomfield it might
truthfully be said that we were within the Federal
•SAMUEL 8. IIILDEBIUNS. 229
lines. A heavy military force was stationed at Pilot
Knob at the beginning of the war, and smaller forces
were station-ed at the county seats of the various
counties in Southeast Missouri; they were inactive so
far as the national war was concerned, but amused
themselves by marauding through the country, and oc
casionally killing some unarmed citizens, or indulging
in the characteristics of Ben. Butler,
On gaining the vicinity of Fredericktown, we ob
tained important information from our friends in that
quarter relative to the distribution of the Federal
forces, which aided us materially in shaping our course.
From this place we went east of Mine La Motte, and
took up our quarters for the day in an unfrequented
part of the country, about three miles south of the
Cross Roads, in St, Francois county, where we re*
mained unmolested until in the evening, when we dis
covered a man in Federal uniform tracking our horses
slowly across an adjoining ridge. We felt very sorry
for him in his lonely condition; I went down the hill
a little distance toward him, and when he came within
a hundred yards of me, and commenced making his
circuit toward our camp I turned old "Kill-devil"
loose upon him; but owing to his stooping posture as
he was looking for tracks I shot him too low and broke
him down in the back. He set up a hideous yelling,
which was very annoying to us just at this time; so I
hastened to his relief, and soon dispatched him with
my revolver. Being a little fearful that we had at
tracted the attention of the people in the neighbor
hood, and that perhaps a Union forci? was on our track
230 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
of which the lone Federal might have been one of the
number, we concluded to move. Directing our way
through the most thickly wooded parts of the country
during the balance of the day, we reached Wolf creek
about midnight at the plank road leading from Farm-
ington to Ste. Genevieve.
Feeling much fatigued, and having lost much sleep,
we decided on camping until the follo'wing night, hav
ing with us a sufficiency of provisions and horse feed.
We slept soundly until daylight, and then did picket
duty by turns until late in the evening, when I dis
covered two Federal soldiers in the valley below us,
going toward Farmington. I at once took my position
with one of my men, and as they came up talking very
merrily, we surprised them by presenting our pistols
in a few feet of their faces and demanding a surrender,
at which they seemed somewhat alarmed but made no
resistance.
After dismounting and disarming them we took them
to our quiet nook in the woods, and upon inquiry we
found that they belonged to a company at Ste. Gene-
vieve under Capt. Milks.
We felt very much rejoiced at getting two of this
company who had formerly been stationed at Farm
ington, and after harrassing and robbing the peaceable
citizens in that community for several months they
were removed to Ste. Genevieve.
On one of their scouts through the country they ar
rested Charles Burks, county judge of Ste. Genevieve
for compelling the Provost Marshal to deliver up some
horses belonging to the judge whom the marshal had
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 231
unjustly seized. The old man was taken a few miles
after his arrest by Milks' men and shot without any
questions being asked, and without even a charge of
disloyalty ever having been brought against him. On
another occasion they arrested Irvin M. Haile, one of
the most peaceable men in St. Francois county, under
a charge made by some sneaking informer, that on one
occasion he had fed me and my men. This was the
whole of the accusation brought against him. He was
allowed no trial, no defense ; but two inhuman mon
sters took him a few miles, shot him through the head,
then taking his horse they left his body in the woods,
where it was afterwards found.
The recollection of these and some other acts of
atrocity committed by that company sealed the fate of
my two prisoners; in the name of justice and human
ity I shot them both through the head with my re
volver, and ordered my men to cast them in a deep
hole of water in Wolf creek, with stones tied to their
feet.
As soon as it was dark we went to the house of a
friend to get some feed for ourselves and horses, but
on arriving there we saw a party of perhaps twenty
persons who were just mounting their horses in front
of the gate, and in a few minutes they rode off and
were lost to us in the dim starlight. We approached
the house cautiously, but found no one there except
the kind lady who told us that the cause of the excite
ment was that "Sam Hildobrand was supposed to be in
country;" that some soldiers from Fredericktown had
come up alid stated positively that my trail had been fol-
232 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
lowed in that direction, and that the citizens were or
dered out to assist in the search.
After getting something to eat and feed for our
horses we started on, and by daylight the next morn
ing we were safely housed in a cave among the Pike
Run hills, in the northern part of St. Francois county.
Here we remained but one day ; as soon as darkness
approached we proceeded on into Jefferson county un
til ten o'clock, when we stopped at the house of a
friend who gave us our suppers and treated us so well
that the night was half spent before we started on.
Our friend warned us very pressingly against going
any further in the direction of De Soto, but we deter
mined not to retreat until real danger was apparent.
But unfortunately we had consumed too much time, and
did not reach the part of the country where we de
signed taking up quarters for the day, and while mak
ing a forced march between daylight and sunrise on an
old unfrequented road near the top of a ridge where
we designed taking up quarters, we suddenly ran into
a company of Federal soldiers who were coming to
ward us.
They charged us on sight and in good earnest, firing
a volley at us, but we miraculously escaped unhurt, but
several of us carried off some respectable holes in our
clothing. Their charge was really furious, and caused
us to scatter in every direction, and after a hasty and
precipitate retreat of perhaps a mile and a half, I ven
tured to stop and take a look at my surroundings ; the
last fifteen minutes of my life passed off in such a
"whiz" that I hardly knew where I was/ and I was
SAMUEL 8. HILDEBRAND. 283
very certain that I did not know where my men were;
but I felt very well over the fact that there were no
Federal soldiers in sight.
I was not long in planning my course ; a place had
been designated by me in the Pike Run hills for us to
meet in an emergency of this kind, and I struck
out for the spot, traveling very cautiously and keeping
in the thickest timbered country all the time.
Arriving at the place late in the evening, I found
one of my men who had gained the spot a short
time before me. Here we remained waiting in anx
ious suspense until after dark, and had almost come
to the conclusion that the other men had been cap
tured or killed when they came up. They had got to
gether soon after the stampede, and not being very
well acquainted with the country they had been lost,
and when night overtook • them they pressed a pilot
into their service whom they discovered passing along
the road, and compelled him to accompany them to
the place. The pilot I knew very well, and after de
ceiving him in regard to the course we designed tak
ing, we released him under the promise that he would
not report us.
As we were now destined to be hunted down like
the wild beasts of the forest, we resolved to get out of
the country as quick as possible and over some country
not traveled by us heretofore. "We started in a west-
wardly direction, and after traveling a few miles stop
ped at the house of a friend for our suppers.
Crossing the Iron Mountain railroad south of Black-
well's Station, we gained the vicinity of the Old Mines,
284 ATJTOBIOGHAPHT OF
in Washington county, before it was yet light,
we took up quarters for the day. One of my men being
acquainted in the neighborhood, we had 1*0 trouble
in getting our necessary provisions and horse feed.
While we made our brief sojourn in this locality an
incident worth relating occurred, which was very amus
ing to us, and may not be uninteresting to the reader.
About ten o'clock in the forenoon, while it was my
turn to stand orr picket I sauntered through the thick
fcrush down to the main road, distant about two hun
dred yards, and suddenly ran on to- a German who was
sitting near the road side, sheltered from the sun by
aome brush. I discovered him before he saw me. He
held in his hancJ an old double-barreled shot gun. As
he had on an old suit o-f Federal uniform, my first im
pulse was to draw my revolver, which I did in an in
stant. As soon as the German saw me he sprang to
his feet, let his old gun fall to the ground and threw
np his hands. Seeing that I was dressed in Federal uni
form, he immediately cried out that he was « all right/*
and began in a hurried, broken gibberish to give an
account of himself; that he was from De Soto, and was
going to a saw mill west of Potosi; that he was a dis
charged Union soldier; that Sam Hildebrand was in
the country about De Soto, and that he was afraid to
stay there on that account. At this I advanced toward
him and extended my hand, saying- as I did so that I
was really a little frightened, that I thought he was
Sam Hildebrand himself when I first saw him ; that I
•would not hurt him if he was a Union man, but that I
eame very near shooting him under the mistaken idea
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRASTD. 285
that lie was Hildebrand. He laughed heartily at the
coincident and was quite merry over the happy turn
that the affair had taken.
I told him that I had some men stationed back in
the woods on one of Hildebrand's old trails, and that
foe could go with me and form one of my party for the
day, to which he gladly consented, manifesting a great
•deal of gratitude. As we made our way cautiously to
the camp through the thick brush I told him that he
was running a great risk in traveling through that
portion of country, for it was one of Hildebrand's
main passways.
On coming up to the boys in camp he did not wait
for an introduction, but stepped in ahead of me and
shook hands with them all in the greatest glee, telling
as he did so a great many things he knew about "Sam
Hildebrand,"
The boys seemed to understand the matter perfectly
well without any explanations from me, and humored
the joke very well by asking the most absurd ques
tions about my barbarity; but none of the questions
were too hard, for he answered them all, making it ap
pear that I was a blood-thirsty barbarian, without an
equal in the world's history.
It was not until sometime during the afternoon that
we undeceived him in regard to the true nature of
things j it was sometime before he could comprehend
the sudden change, or be made to believe that he was
really in my hands. But as he gradually became con
vinced of the fact he began a series of lies that would
shamed u Baron Muncha-usen" himself, We
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
stopped him, short, however, and told him that if he
would not report us for one month we would let him
go, at which he sprang at me, seizing my hand with
both of his, he pledged himself and swore by all that
was holy and righteous that he never would report us
while he lived. He shook hands with us all and
started, looking hack every ten feet until he was out
of sight, then he seemed to double his speed until he
was out of hearing.
While the sun was yet an hour high we started on
our way, keeping in the woods until dark, then pass
ing west of Potosi, by traveling all night, we reached
a point near the town of Centreville, in Reynolds
county, where we obtained feed for ourselves and
horses.
In traveling down Black river late on© evening we
ran into a squad of Federals, six in number, whom we
charged in a furious manner, firing on them with our
revolvers. They did not return our fire, but ran most
gloriously. We killed one and captured two more;
those we captured stated that they belonged to Leeper's
command; this being the case of course we shot them.
We took their horses and arms, made another
night's journey, and arrived safely in Green county,
Arkansas. There 1 found a dispatch for me from Gen.
Sterling Price, requesting me to take charge of the
advance guard of his army, as he was "going up to
possess Missouri," to which I most gladly cor sen ted on
conditions that I would be; released as | soon as we
should reach the vicinity of my old home on B*g river.
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 237
CHAPTER XXX.
Commanded the advance guard in Price's raid. — The Federals burn
Doniphan. — Routed them completely. — Captured some at Patter
son. — Killed Abright at Farmington. — Left Price's army. —
Killed four Federals. — Maj. Montgomery storms Big River
Mills. — Narrow escape from capture.
It is not my purpose to give a history of Price's
raid into Missouri farther than to narrate a few facts
connected with my own operations.
In September, 1864, by request, I took charge of
the advance guard after all arrangements were made
for the grand campaign. The dispatch that came to
me, having stated that General Price designed tak
ing Missouri and holding it, I felt that a great honor
was conferred upon me, and was pleased beyond
measure with the prospect of being once more
enabled to triumph over my enemies and to peacea
bly establish myself at the home of my childhood,
among the blissful scenes of my earlier years.
While these day-dreams were passing through my
excited imagination, I repaired to the designated
point and found that my command consisted of a
party of ragged Missourians, about forty in number)
some of whom I knew. Keeping pace with the main
body of the army, we traveled not more than fifteen
miles each day. Nothing of importance occurred
until we reached the town of Doniphan in liipley
county, Missouri ; when, on approaching the place,
238 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
we discovered large volumes of smoke arising from
the town. We put spurs to our horses and hastened
into the place as soon as possible ; finding that the
Federals in evacuating the place, had set fire to
every house but one, and that belonged to a Federal
officer, we concluded that it had better burn also
We arrived in time to save the mill which seemed
to have burned very slowly. It appears that
McNeal's and Leeper's men were on their way to
burn up our Green County Confederacy, but ascer
taining that Price was on his march for Missouri
they set fire to the town and decamped. We pur
sued and overtook them before they got to Green
ville, had a little skirmish, lost two men killed and
four wounded, captured sixteen Federals and shot
them, rushed on to the town of Patterson, captured
eleven negroes and seven white men in Federal uni
form and shot them. While the main army ad
vanced slowly I scouted in front of it with my com
mand ; but Federals and Union men were very
scarce ; I still held the advance however, passing
through Greenville, Bloomfield, Fredericktown and
Farmington; all of which were evacuated before
our arrival, and through which I passed with my
force without molesting any one with one exception-
On reaching Farmington no resistance was offered '
the people were somewhat alarmed, but all surren
dered quietly except a German, named Abright,
who ran when we approached, refused to halt, and
was shot of course.
Finally, reaching the Iron Mountain Railroad at
. SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 239
Mineral Point, we tore up the road, burned several
bridges, and tore down the telegraph ; but finding
no one to kill, I left the command, according to pre
vious agreement, and hastened to the neighborhood
of my personal enemies. Finding none of them
there to kill I employed myself in recruiting for the
Southern army, and succeeded in the short space of
six days in getting a full company, who were sworn
in, and under Capt. Holmes went into the Southern
service. While laboring for the cause of the South
I was at the residence of Maj. Dick Berryman at the
stone house in Bogy's Lead Mines, near Big river,
with a portion of Capt. Holmes' men, when four
Federals who had escaped from the fort at Ironton
during the siege, came along the road ; with but lit
tle difficulty we effected their capture, shot them
and threw their bodies into a mineral hole.
The main army did not remain long in our section
of country ; Gen. Price indeed was a great military
chieftain, but his present campaign through Mis
souri seemed to lack design ; from the time he en
tered the State until he left it, he garrisoned no
posts in the rear. Pilot Knob, the terminus of the
railroad from St. Louis and the depot for supplies
for all Southeast Missouri was taken, and then
abandoned on the next day; he made his way to
Missouri river and then up that stream in the direc
tion of Kansas for several hundred miles without
molestation leaving St. Louis, the great commer
cial key of the West, almost "spoiling to be
taken." The great Missouri chieftain left St. Louig
240 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
to his right, while the heavy force at that place
were quietly taking possession of the abandoned
posts in his rear, If he had joined the "Indepen
dent Bushwhacking Department of the Confederate
States of America" with all his men, in less than
thirty days there would not have been a Federal
soldier west of the Mississippi. While Maj. Berry,
man and a few other officers stayed in St. Francois
county recruiting, the main army gained the
Missouri river and was quietly making a blind
march in the direction^of Idaho.
The Federal forces took possession of the Iron
Mountain railroad, and on one pleasant afternoon
in October, our new recruits armed with their shot
guns and squirrel rifles were run into by Maj. Mont
gomery of the Sixth Missouri Cavalry and complete
ly routed, in which their loss was seven killed and
all the balance missing. Montgomery also killed
several citizens, whose names were Fite, Yandover,
and Judge Haile, the father of Irvine M. Haile, who
was previously murdered by Milks' men.
On the day before Maj. Montgomery routed the
new recruits at Big River Mills, 1 went with some
men to Cadet on the railroad and took from the
store of Mr. Kellerman a wagon load of goods which
I delivered up to Maj. Berryman, who distributed
them among his men. Maj. Montgomery, with two
companies of the Sixth Missouri Cavalry, struck our
trail and followed us nearly into camp ; but when
he ran into the pickets they obeyed the orders I
had previously given, and ran in a different direction
SAMUEL 8. HILBBBRAND. 241
from the camp, thereby leading the Federals away
from our squad of raw recruits, and giving them
time to escape. I was not at Big River Mills when
Montgomery stormed the place, but was at St. Jo
seph Lead Mines, when he passed. I was sitting on
my horse talking to a lady, when the first thing that
I saw of them they were within a few yards of me ;
I assumed an air of unconcern and continued the
conversation ; on discovering that they were eyeing
me very closely, I turned my horse and rode within
a few feet of the column in the direction they were
going, talking back to the lady until I was too far off
to continue the conversation. I then found myself
near a lieutenant whom I addressed as captain, ask
ing him in a very awkward manner if he was going
to Big River Mills to drive the Rebels off, which he
answered in the affirmative. I told him that I would
like to help if I had a gun, but he told me very
curtly that he wanted no men who were not drilled.
My horse seemed to be a little lame and I gradually
fell back, talking all the time to the man opposite
me until the last one had passed. I kicked and
"cussed" my horse to try to keep up but I could not
do it. On getting about one hundred yards behind
I availed myself of an opportunity at a turn in the
road and took to the woods ; the lameness of my
horse was very much improved, but I could not beat
them into the town; however,! knew that the pick
ets would lead them off some other way. They did
so, but were overtaken and killed at the ford above
the mill pond.
11
242 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
The new recruits were within hearing of the guns
and "broke for tall timber." The short sojourn of
the Confederate forces in Missouri was indeed a
severe blow to the course I had marked out for
myself. In my excited imagination I had raised the
veil and looked down the vista of time, beheld the
Southern arms triumphant, our country again re
stored to peace and prosperity, and my little family
and my aged mother leaning upon my arm for sup
port at the old homestead, surrounded by all the
endearments of our once happy days. But I was
awakened from my dream by the unhappy termina
tion of Price's raid; it impressed my mind very
forcibly with the fact that the people of Missouri
were tired of the war and would sacrifice but little
more at the shrine of their political convictions. In
fact a large majority of them were compelled by
circumstances beyond their control to remain at
home and take their chances. The atrocities com
mitted in their midst by men professing Union sen
timents finally failed to elicit from them a casual
remark.
When the war began, the American people were
untutored in regard to the cruelties of war; in fact,
I am inclined to the opinion that there was not a
nation upon earth which had formed the most re
mote conception of the cruelties of the American
people, with all their boasted moral and religious
training. Even the words of political bias expressed
in times of peace, many years before the war com
menced, while yet almost the whole nation was of
SAMUEL S. H1LDEBRAN1X 248
the same opinion, were treasured up and resurrec
ted against certain citizens, for which their lives
were taken.
From a contemplation of this unwelcome eubject
I turned my mind, and through my native woods 1
traveled alone to my home in Arkansas, with my
fond hopes crushed, and my spirits below zero.
244 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTER XXXI.
Selected three men and went to Missouri to avenge the death of
Rev. William Polk. — Got ammunition in Fredericktown. — Killed
the German who informed on Polk. — Returned to Arkansas.
After recruiting our horses and making all neces
sary arrangements for the comfort and convenience
of my family in my absence, I selected three men
and started to Madison county, Missouri, for the ex
press purpose of killing the German who reported
on preacher Polk, and by whose instigation his mur
der, by the Union soldiers, had been brought about.
That venerable Baptist minister, William Polk,
was about seventy years of age, and had been
preaching for about forty years. As a Christian of
unquestionable piety no man ever stood higher; as
a citizen his conduct was irreproachable, and as to
his loyalty and patriotism it never before was
brought into question. From his lips no word had
ever dropped that could be construed into an ex
pression of sympathy for the Southern rebellion.
In the latter part of October, 1864, three Federal
soldiers rode up to his house to rob him first and
then kill him.
They demanded his money which he gave up,
amounting to twenty dollars, he told them that he
had no more, at which they replied that twenty dol
lars was not enough to save his life.
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRA5B. 245
They took him out of the yard, when a Federal
soldier by the name of Robert Manning shot him
through the head.
Believing that the German informer was the most
guilty one in this transaction, I was willing to at
tempt his capture even at this inclement season of
the year.
Camping out in the woods was disagreeable;
stopping at the houses of our friends at night was
extremely dangerous; and if a snow should happen
to fall, thereby exposing our trail to the Federals
we would be under the necessity of running a horse
race for nearly two hundred miles.
On reaching the St. Francis we found it consider
ably swollen from recent rains higher up the river.
I proceeded at once to swim it, and arrived safely
at the opposite bank, but my three men having en
tered the river too near together their horses
crowded each other, which caused them to beat
down with the current until one of my men named
Swan washed into a drift and carne near being
drowned before I could pull off my coat and boots
and swim to his rescue. I got to him in time to pulJ
him out on to a drift, but his horse washed under it
and we saw him no more.
After we had all got over we built a fire, dried
our clothes and camped for the night.
Swan did not feel well the next morning, so he
concluded to make an effort to get back to head
quarters, while we proceeded on with our journey,
246 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
traveling only twenty or twenty-five miles per day,
stopping with our friends on the way.
On reaching Madison county we began to look out
for Federal squads, as there were two or three hun
dred troops quartered in Fredericktown. My am
munition was getting very scarce and I felt as
though I would be compelled to stop and see my
old friends in town. We secreted ourselves and
horses about a mile from the place, and as daylight
was near at hand we had to lay over for the day ;
on the following night I made my way cautiously,
and crawled into an alley near the residence of my
friend, when a dog espied me and tried to make me
retreat; I tried to negotiate with him, offering him
as I thought everything that was fair, but all to no
purpose. About ten o'clock, all things being favor
able, I went around to the opposite side of town and
started in through an open street, walking leisurely,
but kesping near the buildings. When I had got
fairly into town I came suddenly on a Federal picket
at the corner of a block, who accosted me by in
quiring : " Where are you going, Bill ? " I answered
in a whisper "after some whisky ;" "all right" said
he, "bring a fellow a snort." By this time I was out
of whispering distance, and soon came to a large
saloon on the corner, passed around to the other
side which was closed up, and amused myself seve
ral minutes in looking in at the window. I saw
quite a number of the Federals, some playing cards,
some amusing themselves in various ways, and all
of them seemed to be enjoying themselves very
8AMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 247
well. I made my way to the house of my friend,
climbed over the plank fence, and gave a peculiar
wrap at the back door which was well understood.
I got a lunch, some good brandy, plenty of ammuni
tion, rations to last two days, and some very impor
tant information. I went out through the alleys as
a matter of choice, the smaller dogs being posted in
thei alleys and the larger ones in the streets. As
the night was half spent we went into the neighbor
hood of Mr. O'Banyon and camped in the woods un
til the next evening, when we made our way over to
the German's who was accused of laying the plot
for the murder of Elder Polk.
Dressed in Federal uniform, we rode up to his
house as the sun was going down, were taken for
Federal soldiers and received with a great deal of
cordiality. We had talked to him but a short time
when the subject of uPreacher. Polk" was intro
duced. The German in a boastful manner gave us
the history of his transactions in the matter, fully
confirming his complicity in the murder. We
marched him off into the woods near the farm of
Mr. North, where I talked all the Dutch language
to him that I knew, and after giving him distinctly
to understand that "hog killing time" had come, I
shot him.
As soon as it was dark we rode back to the sub
urbs oi Fredericktown for the purpose of silencing
a Union citizen of that place who had made himself
rather officious in reporting citizens for disloyalty,
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
and for accusing certain ones of having fed "Sam
Hildebrand."
I left one of my men with the horses, and taking
the other, I went into town and knocked at the door,
our call was answered by a lady who innocently
told us that the man for whom we inquired had gone
to St. Louis, at which we politely bid her good night
and left the town. We hurried on to Castor creek to
the house of a friend whose hospitalities we enjoyed
for several days, while we were endeavoring by
every means in our power to take in a certain man
who lived in that neighborhood; but the excite
ment we had raised by squelching the German ren
dered our intended victim very shy. Finally we
went to his house just after dark one night and
called for him, but his wife declared that he was not
at home. We made a diligent search through every
room, but not finding him we started for Cape Gir-
ardeau county for the purpose of obtaining some
supplies for the winter. We succeeded in getting
all that we could conveniently pack, and started for
Arkansas. We saw but one squad of Federals on
our homeward trip ; we were passing through Stod-
dard county, east of Bloomfie.ld, when a party of
about ten came up behind us, but they fired upon
us before they got near enough to do any harm,
and by taking to the woods we made our escape.
They might easily have compelled us to throw away
our goods to facilitate our flight, if they had felt
disposed to continue the pursuit. As it was they
never got in sight of us any more, and although our
SAMUflL S. MILDEBRAND.
horses were much jaded we made very good time
until dark and then proceeded on more slowly.
We swam the St. Francis without much trouble and
landed home safely.
I found my wife and children well, but Mr. Swan,
whom I had rescued from the turbid waters of the
St. Francis had sickened and died during our ab
sence, and had been buried a few hours before our
arrival.
250 AUTOBIOeRAFHT OF
CHAPTER XXXII.
Started with eight men on a trip to Arkansas river. — Hung a
"Scallawag" on White rive) — Went into Conway county. —
Treachery of a negro on Point Remove. — "Foot burning" atro
cities. — Started back and hung a renegade.
During the early part of the winter of 1864, sev
eral persons from the vicinity of Levvisburg, Arkan
sas, came to our Headquarters and reported trouble
with the negroes and scallawags in that part of the
State.
Lewisburgis a small town on the north side of the
Arkansas river, about fifty miles above Little Rock ;
the country around this place is very fertile, and be
fore the war, was inhabited by a wealthy class of
farmers of the highest cast of honor and intelli
gence, the most of whom owned a large number of
slaves. It seems that as soon as the ordinance
emancipating the slaves was enforced in that part
of the country, several scallawags from the free
States, slipped in among the negroes, whose especial
duty seemed to be to incite the negroes to deeds of
villainy.
About Lewisburg they seemed to have been very
successful in their mission as insurrectionists, and
the continued reports from that quarter convinced
us that a short campaign among them during the
winter might be beneficial. In January, 1865, I
SAMUEL fi. HILDEBRANP. 251
started with eight men, we passed through Law
rence and Independence counties, and on reaching
the beautiful country bordering on White river,
which had been in a high state of cultivation before
the war, but now sadly neglected, we approached
near the town of Batesville, when we learned that
two or three of the very animals we were hunting
for were in that " neck of the woods." I left six of
my men with our horses in a dense thicket, and
three of us started out separately to visit the negro
cabins.
I had not proceeded far before I entered a dirty
cabin of "colored people," whom I greeted very
warmly. The household consisted of an old man
and woman, each about sixty years of age, and about
six others who were grown. The old man treated
me with great politeness, and would persist in call
ing me " Massa," notwithstanding my repeated ob
jections. I talked to them some time on the subject
of their freedom ; the old man gave me distinctly
to understand that he considered their condition
much worsted by the change; but the youngsters
seemed to be in a high glee over their future pros
pects. I succeeded in gaining their confidence by
professing intense loyalty to their cause, and ascer
tained beyond all doubt that a " Bosting man " had
been through the neighborhood to obtain their
names and their pledges to support him for Con
gress as soon as the war should close, with the
solemn promise from him that he would have all the
252
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
land and the property of the whites confiscated and
given to them.
One of the boys showed me a paper which he said
was a certificate that he was to be the owner of the
Anthony House in Little Rock. On inquiring where
I could find my " Bosting brother," they told me that
he was "down about Lewisburg raising money from
the Rebels to build school houses for the colored
people."
After intimating that I was an officer of the Freed-
man's Bureau, I was about to depart, when a tall,
lank specimen of a genuine Eastern philanthropist
made his appearance at the door. After being as
sured that I was " all right," he remarked that he
had been in the neighborhood several days, and had
made out a report of all the property which would
be confiscated as soon as he returned to Washing
ton. He proceeded to draw it out from the lining
of his hat and handed it to me to read, 1 fumbled
about in my pockets for some time, and then re
marked that I had lost my spectacles ; he then took
the paper and read it with a great deal of pomposi
ty, commenting occasionally on the names as he
read them off.
I sanctioned the report heartily, and told him
that it was bound to win. He then remarked to the
negroes that any assistance they could render him
in the way of money matters, would be thankfully
received, as he was working for their good alone.
They contributed all the money they had, which I
think amounted to about six dollars. I arose to de-
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 253
part, stating that I had promised to take dinner with
some colored friends about a mile from there, and
insisted that my " brother missionary" accompany
me, to which he readily consented.
During our walk he laid before me many of his
plots and plans, which fully convinced me that he
designated to excite the minds of the negroes with
the hope of ultimately expelling all the white peo
ple from the State, except their immediate friends
from the North.
We finally arrived at the place, but it proved to
be a Rebel camp instead of a negro cabin. On com
ing up to the boys my missionary seemed to be bad
ly alarmed, but made no show of resistance. We
hung the scallawag to a limb, where he remained
until we got our dinner, then we took him down and
threw him into a hole of water, with a large stone
tied to his feet. We crossed White river at a ferry
several miles below Batesville, immediately after
which we came suddenly upon a company of twenty
armed men dressed in citizen's clothes* As we were
not posted in regard to the state of affairs in that
part of the State, we were utterly at a loss to know
to which side they belonged in this war.
We were first seen by a tall, awkward looking
specimen of humanity, who stepped out in front of
us and questioned us about who we were and where
we were going.
He held in his hand a double-barreled gun large
enough to have killed all eight of us at one fire.
Without answering his questions, as we wished to
254 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
take items before committing ourselves, " asked
"where is your Captain?" He replied thai he was
going to serve as captain himself, and immediately
made a remark that led us to understand that they
were merely a party starting out on a "bear hunt."
At night we stopped at the Round Fond, and as
certained that there was but little Union sentiment
in that part of the State, and that we would meet
with no trouble from the Federals until we got into
the counties bordering on Arkansas river. We
avoided a military camp at Clinton, not knowing
to a certainty whether they were Rebels or not.
We had no source of information upon which we
could explicitly rely. On arriving in Conway coun
ty we stayed all night with an old gentleman on
Point Remove ; but being fearful that our horses
might be stolen, we concluded to sleep under a shed
between the stable and the smokehouse.
About one o'clock in the night we saw two ne
groes approaching the smoke house very cautiously ;
after some little time they succeeded in removing a
log, when one of them crawled in. We made an at
tempt to arrest the one on the outside, but he got
away, followed by two shots, which, however,
missed him. A great consternation was produced
in the house, and out the old man came with alight.
On taking our prisoner out he made a clean breast
of it; he confessed that he belonged to a band of
eight negroes, who were camped on the bank of Ar
kansas river, between Point Remove and Gilmore's
Landing; that they were led by a white XT: an, and
SAMUM. S. HILDEBRAND. 255
were in the habit of robbing white people, and mak
ing them tell where their money was concealed by
burning their feet.
On the next morning he consented to pilot us to
the place where they were camped ; but instead of
taking us directly to the place, he took us a mile
around through the cane, and finally brought us
back to within two hundred yards of where we had
been before, and then pointed to their camp. Here
it was, sure enough, but the bird s had flown.
For this trick the body of a dead negro was soon
discovered floating down the muddy river.
I was much mortified in thus failing to squelch the
foot-burning scallawag who was lea ding the negroes
on to such acts of cruelty ; but he succeeded in get
ting away and is no doubt by this time in Congress.
After remaining in the woods a few miles from
Lewisb urg for several days without being able to do
any good toward ferreting out the " foot-burners," we
started back through VanBuren and Izard counties
without molesting any one until we got near a little
town called Mount Olive, where we captured a man
whom we accidentally met in the road. Several of
my men knew him, and stated that he had been run
off from Bloomfield, Missouri, for professing loyalty
during the second year of the war, and thus betray^
ing the confidence his neighbors had hitherto placed
in him. He was also ac cused of having had a man
shot near Bloomfield, by reporting on him; this
accusation he virtually acknowledged after we had
captured him.
256
AUTOBIO&RAPHY OF
We took him a few hundred yards from the road,
hung him to a lirnb, and proceeded on through Law
rence county to our old headquarters.
2 S
SAMUttL S. HILDEBRAJCB. 257
CHAPTER XXXIIL
Qloomy p-rospeets for the South. Takes a trip to Missouri toitk
four menr Saved from capture by a woman. Visits his mother
on Big river. Robs the ttore of J. V. Tyler at Big River Mills.—'
Escape* to Arkansas.
I had a long conversation with Capt. Bolin, who
had just returned from an expedition on the head
waters of Current river, concerning the probable
termination of the war.
He was a man of considerable intelligence, and I
always noticed on his return from a raid his pockets
were stuffed full of Yankee newspapers.
I found him sitting on a log deeply absorbed in
examining his miscellaneous pile of news.
<cWell, Captain! what's the news from the North?
Are they ready to give it up yet ?"
<' Give it up, indeed! Sam, the war is very near to
a close."
44 1 thought sol I knew they could not hold out
much longer ; I suppose we have killed nearly half
of them; I hope they will grin and bear it until we
get another swipe at them! "
" I rather think they will ! but Sam, it is the
South which is going under; her fate is already
sealed."
" What makes you think so ?"
44 1 think so because the great armies of the Con-
258 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
federacy are crippled and almost annihilated ; their
whole country is overrun and impoverished by im
mense Northern armies ; I fear that our great chief
tains, will be compelled to yield, and when they go
under, our little fighting here must also stop."
M Ah, Captain, you get that from your Yankee
papers ; I can't believe anything that they contain."
I must acknowledge however, that I was some
what staggered by Capt. Bolin's candid remarks. I
immediately selected four men, being determined
to make another trip to see whether the Federals
had literally swallowed up the whole country or not
We made our way up Black river, thinking that
we would be very likely to make the trip on that
route without ever seeing a Federal.
One evening, on the first day of March, 1865, after
remaining in a thicket nearly all day, we concluded
to approach the house of a friend with whom we
had stopped on a previous trip. A terrible rain
storm was coming up, and we thought we could
leave our horses where they were and repair to the
house for shelter until the rain should cease.
Our friend was from home ; he had gone toward
Springfield to look after his son whom he feared had
been murdered by some of the roving bands of
Federals. We learned from the good woman that
none of the enemy had passed that road for a long
time ; so feeling perfectly safe we repaired to the
barn intending to get a little sleep, but took the
precaution to crawl up into the loft and over the hay
into a low place near the wall.
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND.
Directly after dark we were awakened by the
noise of a large empty wagon that was driven up to
the barn, just under our window; on peeping out
the truth flashed across our minds in an instant
that not less than fifty Federal soldiers were in the
barn yard all around us ; but on watching their
maneuvers a few minutes, we .became satisfied that
they knew nothing of our presence.
The barn floor below us was soon fall of them, and
in a few minutes eight or ten of them crawled up
through the window on to the hay and rolled up in
their blankets, between us and the window. Our
escape seemed impossible; we could not slip out at
the window without stepping on the soldiers; we
might indeed lay still and escape detection for a
while, but we knew full well that as soon as it was
light enough they would load their wagon with the
hay and be sure to discover us. For once I was at
my wit's end.
In this predicament we lay for two long hours,
when all at once we heard the alarm of fire ; our
good woman was calling lustily for help. In the
corner of the yard about fifty feet from the house
there stood a little cabin that had once been her
dwelling house but which was now used as a kind of
receptacle for old boxes and barrels.
This house was in flames, and we learned after
wards that she set it on fire herself to draw the sold
iers from the barn so that we might effect our
escape. In this she succeeded admirably ; every one
broke for the fire and prevented it from catching
260 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
the main building, while we made our escape with
out any trouble whatever. We took a long breath
of relief, mounted our horses and made one good
night's travel. Passing near the town of Buford
then west of Fredericktown, we arrived in the
vicinity of Flat Woods and remained concealed in
a thick forest during the day. In the ev< <nng, two
of my men who were dressed in Federa uniform,
wandered off from the camp and were discovered by
a citizen named John Myers, who mistook them for
Union soldiers and immediately commenced telling
them how, thus far, he had succeeded in deceiving
the Rebels. He handed them a sheet of paper on
which he had written out a full report of his success
in ferreting out the friends of Sam Hildebrand in
that neighborhood. He stated that he was in the
habit of reporting to the Rebels also, and to prove
the matter he drew from his pocket a half worn
paper purporting to be an account of the Federal
movements in that section of country. He mani
fested a great desire for my capture, and when they
told him that I had actually been captured and was
a prisoner at their camp near by, he waved his hat
and shouted like an Indian. They brought him into
camp to satisfy his curiosity ; but on discovering
that I was not tied he started to retreat, but was
stopped by my men. As soon as night began to ap
proach we shot him and proceeded on toward Big
river, but stopped in the pinery northwest from
Farmington, where we remained two days. On
leaving there we took supper with a friend near Big
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAN1X 261
River Mills and proceeded down the river to the old
Hildebrand homestead.
During Price's raid into that section of country I
left word for my enemies that they should build my
mother another house at the old homestead in lieu
of the one they had burned, otherwise, I would burn
the last one of them out. Some of my friends how
ever, seeing that they were slow about commencing
it, and wishing perhaps to screen them, met together
and in a very short time built her a cabin, which
answered her purpose very well for a temporary
abode. Into this cabin she removed, and there I
found her on the night of March 6th, 1865. I left my
men and horses in a secure place near by, and quiet
ly approached the premises where once had been
the happy home of my childhood. It was late in the
night when I called at the door, but my mother had
not yet retired; knowing my voice she laid her spec
tacles upon her open bible where she had been
reading, and softly opened the door. Her motherly
arms entwined around my neck, the same arms that
had so often lulled me to sleep in my innocent
childhood, that had so often clasped me to her bosom
and made me feel secure from all the dangers and
storms of life. My heart beat strangely as all those
dear scenes and all the events of my life in one
short minute crowded through my memory. I could
not help contrasting her own condition at that hap
py period with the cheerless present. As sfie took
her seat I could not help noticing the calm serenity
of her countenance; a quiet resignation seemed to
262 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
pervade her nature. Considering the terrible loss
that her kind heart had sustained in the cruel death
of her three boys, and in the utter uprooting of all
her cherished hopes in this world, I was at a loss to
account for it, and was about to express my wonder
when she seemed to divine my thoughts before my
question was formed, and with a slight motion of
her hand toward the bible, she said in a faltering
tone: "My dear boy! you are more unhappy than
I am ! " The remark was so true, that I wished I had
the power to obliterate the past, and to commence
life again as a little frolicsome boy around my
mother's chair.
I remained with her most of the time during the
next day. It was her impression that the war was
near its close; that the triumph of the Union cause
was almost complete, and she insisted strongly that
when the Southern soldiers should lay down their
arms, that I with the rest would yield obedience to
the government and claim its protection.
I was so softened by this interview with my moth
er, that I almost forgot my enemies ; and I made up
my mind to return to Arkansas without killing any
one if I could do so with safety to myself.
But it was necessary that I and my men should
take some goods with us, for our families, at this
time, were rather needy; and believing that friends
as well as foes should bear a part of the burden of
our suffering families, inasmuch as all our energies
had been directed to the accomplishment of an ob
ject which they so strenuously contended was right,
SAMUEL 6. HILDEBRAtfD. 2C3
we concluded to make a small raid into the town of
Big River Mills that my friends might still know we
were on the war path. We started late in the eve
ning and kept along the main road, arriving in town
between sundown and dark. We went to the store
of J. Y. Tyler, and helped ourselves to such articles
as we actually needed. After mounting our horses
we did not remain long to see the balance of our
friends, but hurried on all that night to get as far
beyond the gravel road at night as possible.
We lay up to rest ourselves during the day; but
about two o'clock in the evening, we discovered a
considerable force of Federals on our track; they
came to the place where our trail commenced wind
ing around the hill, and there they began to move
very cautiously.
I plainly saw from their movements that they had
learned my trick of making a circuit before camp
ing; this being the case I determined to escape by
the same knowledge. We started very cautiously
down the hill in an opposite direction, rode about
three miles, made another circuit and went on in a
great hurry. Every few miles we made a similar
curve, but continued on, and by the time they had
crept cautiously up to the last place we were far
beyond their reach.
We had no further trouble with the Federals,
and reached Arkansas with all our goods.
264 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Started to Missouri with three men. Surrounded at night near
Fredericktown. Narrow escape by a cunning device. Retired to
Simms' Mountain. Swapped horses with Robert Hill and cap
tured some more. Killed Free Jim and kidnapped a negro boy.
About the first of April, 1865, 1 started to Mis
souri with four men, one of whom was Tom Haile.
We passed west of Bloomfield, and made an attempt
to take in a German living in the edge of Wayne
county, whose name I never could pronounce. He
had rendered himself rather obnoxious to us by his
officiousness in carrying news to the Federal au
thorities.
On going up to his house about sunrise, thinking
to find him asleep, we made no attempt at conceal
ment, but marched directly up toward the front of
his house; when we got within a hundred and fifty
yards of the house he ran out and struck across a
little field ; we fired our guns at him, shooting one
at a time; every time we fired he squalled like a
panther, which tickled Tom Haile so well he could
not shoot, but laughed about as loud as the Dutch
man yelled. We made no attempt to pursue him, as
we cared very little about him any way. We
marched on toward Fredericktown, reaching that
place one morning about daybreak, and secreted
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRANB. 265
ourselves for the day, during which time Haile went
into Fredericktown.
After tying up an old coat in a dirty cotton hand
kerchief, and swinging it on a stick which he carried
on his shoulder, he walked into town, passing him
self off for a lame Irishman who wanted a job for a
few days; he found some soldiers there, but did not
learn their number.
While in town he met several acquaintances who
kindly passed him without recognition.
It appears, however, that in the morning as we
were passing Mr. Blake's farm we w^ere discovered
by some one and reported to the soldiers.
A company was ordered out to guard a gap where
we were in the habit of passing, and we distinctly
heard their horses' feet on the gravel road as they
passed our retreat where we lay concealed in the
thick forest awaiting the approach of night.
Immediately after dark we started, but on cross
ing the gravel road two shots were fired at us from
a short distance; we dashed through the thick
brush, but my horse soon got tangled in a grape
vine, and the boys all left me, vainly endeavoring
to get him along. '".» 7
The firing became very rapid. In riding through
the thick tangled brush I made too much noise, an!
the first thing I knew I was completely surrounded,
though their lines as yet were at some distance.
Having no time to lose I quickly dismounted,
dropped the bridle rein over a snag, and ran back
about one hundred yards ; I stepped behind a bush
12
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP
and remained very quiet, knowing if I fired they
would see the flash of my pistol.
They were closing up in regular order toward the
point where my horse stood. I waited until they
were within ten steps of me, then facing toward the
horse which now gave a snort, I gave a few steps,
then in a low but commanding tone, I cried out:
"Advance with more caution ! they can hear you a
mile !" By this time I was in their line, and under
the pretense of correcting some irregularity in their
movements, I stepped behind them and got away
without creating the least suspicion.
Being next discovered by the guard who were
holding the horses, I told them that we had the
bushwhackers all surrounded, and that to make a
sure thing we must have more men.
Mounting the best looking horse I could find by
the dim light of the moon, I started toward Fred-
ericktown in a great hurry; but when out of dan
ger I changed my course for Simms' mountain in St.
Francois county, the place designated for our meet
ing in case of trouble.
The Federals probably captured my horse, but
that was no loss to me, for I had obtained a much
better one.
I rode all night and a part of the next day by my
self before I reached our place of rendezvous. My
men were not there, and as the day wore away I be
gan to fear that some misfortune had befallen them ;
but they made their appearance after dark, and re
ported that the Federals had given them a severe
SAMUJ-L S. 1IILDEBRASD. 1JG <
chase; immediately after which they met a squad
of Federals who chased them the other way.
Simms' Mountain is a very high elevation of land
scarcely ever visited except by hunters at certain
seasons of the year. It looms up above the other
hills, affording a fine view of the whole surrounding
country. While we lay here Tom Haile took a trip to
Iron Mountain to learn the news at the military camp,
and to get some provisions. After getting near the
place he left his horse and his arms in the woods,
stopped at an old coal pit to smut his face and his
hands, and then we-nt into town disguised as a col
lier, of whom there were many in the neighbor*-
hood. While purchasing some provisions at a store
he le-arned that "five hundred soldiers had Sam
Hildebrand suBrounded in a thicket from which it
was impossible for him to escape."
This was good news, for it would enable us to
make a caid on Big river in broad daylight with per
fect impunity. We passed down- Flat river during
the latter part of the night, crossed Big river at the
Haile Ford and rode into town just as the sun was
rising. Finding no goods there that suited us we
continued along the main road until we got to the
residence of our good Union friend, Kobert Hill.
We wished to make him a friendly visit and swap
off some of our horses, for Tom Haile dissuaded me
from doing him any personal injury.
I took two of his best horses and left two in their
place; we charged him some boot, but had to take
265 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
it in clothing and such articles from the nouse as we
could make use of.
On leaving there we turned south and passed
along the most public road four or five miles until
we came to Nesbit Orton's. We took a fancy to a
couple of mares that some neighbors had there,
one belonging to Tom Highley and the other to
Tom Crunkleton. The mare, however, which we
took from the latter did not like Rebels, for on get
ting a few miles I concluded that she would make a
splendid war horse ; but she threw all my men, one
at a time, and when I was about to try my luck she
gave a snort, broke away from us and made her es
cape.
Tom Haile had remained behind to visit some of
his friends on Big river, and did not overtake us un
til we got to Cook settlement.
I and my other men continued to travel along the
road until we reached the shanty belonging to an
old free negro by the name of Jim. He had made
himself the dread of Southern sympathizers in his
neighborhood by frequentlv visiting the different
military posts with various charges against them,
such as feeding bushwhackers, etc.
To satisfy myself in regard to his complicity in
the matter, we rode up to his cabin, each one being
dressed in Federal uniform.
On calling him out I gave him a hearty shake of
the hand, and inquired if he had learned anything
more about that man Madkins he was telling me
about at the Knob; at this the old negro imagined
SAMUEL S. UlLDfcJtJRAM).
thai he recognized me as Col. - — , and asked me
what I had done with my shoulder-straps ; to which
I replied that I wanted to find out a few things for
myself, and enjoined secrecy on him in regard to
my disguised appearance.
He made charges against several of the best men
in the neighborhood, which was calculated to con
sign them to summary punishment according to
Federal usage.
After making his statements, he asked me if I was
still willing to take his son for a waiting boy; I told
him that I was, and that I designed taking him along
with me this time, having brought a horse for that
purpose. He called the boy out and told him to
mount the horse, which he at first refused to do ;
but after I had got the old negrcr to mount another
horse for the purpose of going with us a few miles,
the boy consented and seemed very well recon
ciled.
After going about two* miles I shot old Jim, but
took the boy on with us.
We stopped near the residence of Francis Clark,
in Cook settlement, to get our dinners; and while
there some Federals came along, but seeing us they
turned off the road and went around without mo
lesting us. We proceeded on without any further
trouble, but traveled altogether in the night.
On reaching the St. Francis we found it still out
of its banks; we, however, succeeded in swimming
it by resting our horses on an island about half way.
From there we arrived safely at home, and for the
270 AUIOUlUUllAPliY OF
first time in my life I owned a negro. I was to all
intents and purposes a genuine slaveholder.
Immediately after I left Big river on my last raid,
Robert Hill became satisfied that, as I took his
horses, he could no longer pass himself off for a
Rebel and a Union man at the same time. He was
a member both of the "Knights of the Golden
Circle" and the "Union League." A few days after
I " swapped horses " with him, he went before the
provost marshal, at Potosi, and represented that in
consequence of his Union sentiments he could not
live at home on Big river without a band of soldiers
for his protection.
Failing, however, in his purpose, he went to Iron-
ton and made a similar statement to the provost
marshal at that place. Certain Union men, how
ever, who knew all the facts in the case, represented
the whole matter as arising from personal enmity
against Dr. A. W. Keith ^nd others.
Thwarted again in his designs, he was left a few
days to muse over his misfortunes; but a bright
idea finally came to his relief: He would expose the
"Knights of the Golden Circle," and consign his
brother members to an indiscriminate butchery !
The war was nearly at an end ; the Union cause
was about to triumph ; and one string was enough
to play on during the balance of the struggle. He
would startle the world by his disclosures; the
earth should be dumbfounded, and mankind should
stand aghast at the magnitude of his revelations!
He sought and obtained a private interview with
SAAILLL t>. mLDiUKAM'. 271
the provost marshal. At this time the sun was
serenely smiling upon the eart^; spring had just
made her advent, and was strewing garlands of
flowers along the meadows and sunny hillsides, as
if nothing was about to happen ; and men through
out the world, unmindful of what was about to take
place, were plodding on in their daily pursuits.
All things being now ready, he told the marshal
that he was a member of the Union League. This
announcement was a satisfactory proof of his loy
alty, for this Northern KuKlux League was insti
tuted to save the National Union secretly.
He then stated that, for the good of his country,
he had also joined the Knights of the Golden Circle ;
that the Circle met at the house of Joseph Herrod,
on Big river, and that many of the leading men in
that neighborhood were members.
The patriotic motives of Robert Hill will be very
apparent to the reader, when I state that at the out
break of the rebellion, when he joined the Golden
Circle, he was a slaveholder, and utterly pro-slavery
in sentiment.
How pure, then, must have been his motives
when, for the good of his country, even at that early
day, he bound himself with oaths like adamant for
the purpose of finally exposing the Circle, as soon
as it should have run its race and become defunct !
If the Southern Confederacy had won, his patriot
ism would have prompted him to expose the Union
League ; and when the last expiring beacon of Fed
eral hope was about to be extinguished, he probably
S AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
would have called for troops to crush the members
of the Union League to which he belonged !
The representations he made to the provost mar
shal had the desired effect ; a telegram was sent
to Col. Beverage, at Cape Girardeau, who sent Lieu
tenant Brown, with forty men, to Big River Mills.
The statement made by Hill, however, needed
confirmation. It was desirable to prove the charges
by some one whose word, on account of the color
of his skin, could never for a moment be doubted.
A negro man by the name of Buck Poston lived
in the neighborhood ; his skin was black enough for
him to be considered perpetually under oath, so
they repaired immediately to his domicil, for the
purpose of implicating certain persons as belonging
to the Golden Circle.
Brown and his men put a rope around his neck,
and tried to frighten him into a belief that he would
be hung unless he confirmed Hill's statements. But
Buck was a brave man, and answered "no" to each
one of Hill's accusations against his neighbors.
Finally they told him that he was now about to
be hung, and appealed to him to know if he did not
love his wife and children, and urged him just to
say "yes," and live; but the old man replied:
"Well, Massa, I does know some little things ; but
I's gwine to take it all to t'other world with me ! "
Neither persuasions, threats, the glittering of bay
onets, nor the prospect of death, could make him
divulge anything.
The color of his skin, however, saved his life, and
SAMUEL S. 111LDEBUA&D. 273
his tormentors had nothing to do but to return
to camp. During the night follow in g he gave warn
ing to those whom he knew to be in dang er.
On the next day, May 1 , 1805, Lieut. Brown took
four men, rode up to the house of Mr. Jo^ph Her-
rod, and iound him at home. They order* d him to
get his horse and go with them to Farrnington. He
did so, but on getting half a mile from the house-,
they took him twenty or th:rty steps from the road
arid shot him through the bick of the head. There
they left him, where he was found the next day.
Thus perished a young man who, for ki ndness of
heart, strict integrity, and moral honesty had no
superiors, and but few equals.
Before proceeding any further with the slaughter,
Lieut. Brown went and consulted with Franklin
Murphy, who told him that the whole matter was
the resu It of a neighborhood difficulty, which did not
warrant Federal interference in any manner what
ever.
Brown and his men, during their stay on Big
river, were engaged in a wholesale robbery and
plunder of the citizens, taking their property with
out even a promise to pay. Their depredations
were even more intolerable than the same number
of hostile Indians would have been ; but after
Brown had been better informed as to the true na
ture of affairs he became half civilized, and on tak
ing property he gave government vouchers. These
debts against the government, however, were finally
rejected, the people having been reported as dis-
274 --aiOBIOGKAPliY OF
loyal. Even the widow Baker lost over one hun
dred dollars by some one reporting her as a Southern
sympathizer.
After feasting off of the neighborhood for about
two months, Brown and his infamous band of van
dals took their departure. The conspiracy, founded
on the marvelous revelation of a broken oath, and
emanating fram the fertile brain of base malignity,
suddenly collapsed.
SAMUEL S. HILDEBKA3SD, 275
CHAPTER XXXV.
Trip to Missouri with four men. — Attempt to rob Taylor's store.
— Fight with Lieut. Brown and his soldiers. — Killed Miller
and Johnson at Flat Woods. — Return home from his last
raid. — The war is pronounced to be at an end. — Reflections
on the termination of the war. — Mrs. Hildebrand's advice. —
The parole at Jacksonport.
When the war first broke out* in Missouri, and
after the persecutions against ^the Hildebrand fam
ily had become so intolerable that I was compelled
to flee the country, I owed a small debt to D. W.
Taylor, a merchant living at Valley's Mines, in Jef
ferson county.
After the mob had destroyed my property and
driven me into the Southern army for protection, it
was impossible forme to pay the, debt during the
struggle.
In all communities there are "land sharks" who
are willing to befriend an intended victim to a cer
tain extent, but who are ready at the first approach
of an unforseen disaster to gobble up his lands.
In this instance, Taylor attached my interest in
the Hildebrand homestead, and while the country
was in the ebullition of civil war, had it sold at
public vendue, bidding it in himself for a mere
nominal sum.
For this little piece of ingenuity I now determined
to award him with a clear title to another small
276 AUTOBIOGRAPHY X)F
tract of land, four feet by six, to have and to hold,
as his own individual possession, until Gabriel
should blow his horn.
With this intention, on the 28th day of April, 1865,
I started with four men for another raid into Mis
souri. We made our way quietly and cautiously
through the southern counties of Missouri, all of
which were now held by Federal soldiers, for the
protection of the citizens — the protect ion, however,
being the same kind that the vulture gave the lamb.
Reaching Big river late in the night, we repaired
to the Pike Run hills and slept until morning.
Knowing that we would be more apt to catch Tay
lor in daytime, we started in the morning and rode
over to Taylor's store, which was distant only about
six miles. He was not at home, and having no time
to lose, we went into his store and commenced se
lecting such goods as we wanted, when we were
suddenly run on to by some Federal soldiers, under
Lieut. Brown, from Perry county, but who was at
that time stationed at Big River Mills, with forty
men, one-half of whom he had with him on the
present occasion.
They came up within two hundred yards of the
store, and commenced firing and yelling at a terri
ble rate. We ran out to our horses, which were
tied to the brush not more than forty yards off, but
on the opposite side from the soldiers. One of my
men was killed by an accidental shot, and another
one who happened to be a new recruit left his horse
and ran off through the woods, leaving me with an
SAMUEL S. iilLUEBKA.ND. V
army of only two men, besides myself, to repel the
attack of twenty regulars. The Federals, however,
after their first fire, took refuge behind some old
houses about one hundred and fifty yards off, and
from there showed us a very harmless and cowardly
fight. After I gained my horse, I used him for a
fortification and shot several rounds at them ; occa
sionally I could see one's head bob around a corner,
but they were out of range, and my shots fell harm
less to the ground. My other two men now left me
alone, and for several minutes I remained, trying to
get a dead shot at one of the Federals ; but having
no chance to do so, without charging them by myself,
I mounted my horse and retreated, leaving my dead
man upon the ground, whom they charged and shot
several times after I left. I went on to an adjoining
hill, but failing to find my men, I rattled my cow
bell, which I had with me for emergencies of this
kind, and in half an hour my three men were with
me.
Having made a complete failure, it is not unreas
onable to suppose that we felt very much chagrined
at our ill luck, and knowing that if we started south
then, we would be annoyed by Federals on our trail,
we repaired again to the Pike Run hills for safety,
where we could easily have whipped all the forces
within the three surrounding counties. My com
rade who was on foot went about four miles to the
house of an old acquaintance and obtained ahorse,
by promising to return him again in six weeks;
278 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
which promise, I will here state, he afterwards faith
fully performed.
It was now about the middle of May, and we were
anxious to be on our way back ; so we started one
night and went as far as Flat Woods.
Before Mcllvaine and the soldiers had driven me
from there, I became acquainted with two men,
George Miller and Joseph Johnson, who professed
great friendship for me ; but some time after my
expulsion from that neighborhood, they visited my
house and used abusive language to my wife, making
threats what they intended to do with me. Johnson
had the impudence to remark that he intended to
kill me and bring my head to her swinging to the
horn of his saddle.
These were not vain threats, for they watched for
me for a long time ; but after they learned a little
more about me, they were very shy, and up to the
present time I had never got my eyes upon either
of them.
Late in the evening, on the next day after our
arrival in the neighborhood, as I was passing a
house I saw a lady dressing some butter, and wish
ing for a good drink of buttermilk, I alighted a mo
ment and went in the house. As I was dressed in
Federal uniform, the good woman asked me if I
was hunting for Sam Hildebrand ; on telling her
that I was, she went on to give me the particulars
of our affray at Taylor's store, ascribing to the Fed
eral arms the most brilliant victory, by statins: that
' Lieut. Brown, with only twenty men, ran upon
SAMUEL S. IIILDEBRASD. 279
Hildehrand's Bushwhackers and completely routed
them, killing fourteen and wounding several more ;
a great many soldiers are now after him, and have
him surrounded in a place where he can never
get back here to bother us again ! " I asked her if
she would please give Sam Hildebrand a drink of
buttermilk ? She looked at me a moment and then
replied: "Yes, sir; you can have all in the churn if
you want it."
Not long after leaving there, I found Mr. Miller
in his field, and shot him. After night I found Mr.
Johnson at home, took him out of the house, and
cut off his head with my bowie knife.
The reader will perceive that the threats of John
son would have been completely reversed if I had
carried his head to his wife swinging to the horn of
my saddle ; but instead of imitating his designs any
further, I leisurely pursued my way home to our
headquarters in Green county, Arkansas.
On the next day after my arrival at home, Capt.
Bolin called on me and stated that he wished us all
to meet him at headquarters that evening at three
o'clock. At the time appointed I was there, and so
were about forty more of the boys, most of whom
had just returned from their various scouts.
The Captain seemed a little agitated, and for sev
eral minutes after we were all assembled he did not
say a word. Presently he began, and these are
about his words:
"GENTLEMEN; It is my wish that we remain
280 AUTOBIOGRAPHY Of
quietly at headquarters a few days until my other
scouting parties' return.
"I wish to say to you now that, in my opinion?
this war has virtually closed. General Lee, the
great head and front of all our hopes, as you are
already aware, was compelled to succumb to supe
rior numbers, and surrender on the 12th day of
April. General Johnston surrendered on the 18th
of the same month. The hopes held out by General
Kirby Smith in his general order issued at Shreve-
port can never be realized.
"The Southern Confederacy is at an end; our
course must be governed by circumstances over
which we have no control.
"The course we have pursued during the struggle
is only justified by the fact that a great war existed.
While the eyes of the world have been riveted on
great actors and on events of an astounding mag
nitude, the minor details of the struggle have been
overlooked. That condition of affairs now no longer
exists; the war has ceased, and our operations must
cease also.
"Finally, it is my request that each and every
one of you submit manfully to the same terms that
have been forced upon our great chieftains ; that is:
Lay down your arms, surrender on parole, and re
turn to the pursuits of peace."
This little speech fell like a wet blanket on most
of the men, and I must confess that I was one of
jthat number; but we held Capt, Bolin in such high
SAMUEL S. HiLDEBKAND. 281
esteem that not a murmur of dissent was suffered
to drop from the lips of any of his men.
On the next day, however, the matter was fully
discussed in every camp. Nine-tenths of the men
fully indorsed the statements made by our noble
captain, and I could not but acknowledge that his
reasoning seemed plausible ; yet I was annoyed be
yond all measure by the reflection that the war had
suddenly ceased before I was done fighting.
I cared not so much about the general result. I
knew but little, and cared still less, about the great
political problem that the war was supposed to
have solved, nor to the technical question discussed
by old fossil statesmen, whether the States formed
the Union or the Union formed the States, whether
the South had inherent rights or whether inherent
rights had the South, whether the General Govern
ment was a restricted agent of the people, or
whether the people were the restricted agents of
the General Government.
These questions probably originated with the
antediluvians, and they ought to have been left to
a committee of twelve Egyptian mummies, with the
" man in the moon " foi» chairman.
The practical question with me was, whether all
the scoundrels in the nation were yet killed off or
not. As far as my knowledge extended, the war
had only gobbled up about one-tenth of them.
Most of those men who had composed the Vigil
ance mob on Big river were yet alive. They were
in the centre of military camps, crawling around
282 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
the feet of Federal officers, and whining for protec
tion against my vengeance.
To reach them it would be necessary to overthrow
the Federal power ; just that far my heart was in
the National war.
My mind was troubled by the reflection that as
soon as the war should be ended, all those cowardly
miscreants would crawl out from their hiding places,
boast of their loyalty, make a grand rush for office,
swing their hats, and cry out : " Well, didn't we whip
them?"-
I made up my mind that, for my part, I would
take as many of the boys as were determined never
to surrender, escape to Texas if possible, fight under
Gen. Kirby Smith until he should surrender, and
then make our way into Mexico — there to annoy
the Federal Government all I could until I could
get another " whack " at my old enemies.
I thought, however, that I would consult my wife
for once, and see what she thought about it. She
looked serious for a minute, and then burst out into
a laugh.
"I once heard about some little boys," said she,
u who were left at home by their parents, who had
gone to church. One of them discovered a rat
which had taken refuge under a pile of lumber in
the yard ; but the boys tore away the lumber, split
ting about half the boards. The rat then ran under
the ash-hopper, and when that was torn down it
took refuge under the barn floor. One of the boys
ran to the house for matches, in order to burn out
SAMUEL S. 111LDEBKAND. 2i&
the rat ; but his little sister, the youngest one in the
crowd, cried out: 'If you burn the rat we will have
no barn ! ' The boys saw the force of her reasoning,
and made peace with the rat. So I would advise
you to make no further efforts toward destroying
the Federal barn for such a purpose."
I must confess that this little speech from my wife,
given in such good humor, contained a little more
good sense than anything I had heard for a long
time.
It sounded a little like a Union speech, and
seemed strange on that account; but, although I
had not at first the least idea of ever swerving from
my purpose, yet I now determined to follow her ad
vice, for I concluded that as she had waded through
the hardships of war with a devotion to me that has
but few parallels in the history of mankind, I ought
to respect her comfort as well as my own.
On the next day I told Capt. Bolin that I con
sented to his arrangement. He started on to Jack-
sonport to give in the list of his men, and I started
a few days afterwards to the same place, and re
ceived my parole on the 26th day of May, 1865, the
very day on which General Kirby Smith surrendered
at Shreveport.
The war now being over, I tried to banish the sub
ject from my mind as much as possible, and soon
went to work on the place I still occupied, for no
owner had yet returned to claim it. Most of our
men were afraid to return to their homes in Mis
souri while a remembrance of our depredations
284: ALTGBIQGRAl'HY OF
were still fresh in the minds of the people, and
went to farming in different parts of Green county.
With what I captured during the war I did not
have more than half as much property as I had lost
by the hands of the Vigilance mob in Missouri.
One might suppose that, from the name my ene
mies gave me, I might have grown rich by my dep
redations during the war; but such was not the
fact; plunder was only a secondary consideration
with me ; I resorted to it merely to sustain myself
while I pursued my main leading object — that of
killing my enemies.
We sustained ourselves during the whole war off
of our enemies. If objections are made to that
kind of warfare, I can point to the exaniple of Sher
man, in Georgia, and to a host of other Federal
commanders, both great and small, even down to
that pigmy lump of insignificance— the Big Kiver
Militia. But, unlike those illustrious examples, we
did not charge our government with anything we
captured ; neither was I a burden to the Confeder
acy to the amount of one dollar ; neither did I ever
stoop so low as to become an incendiary, and burn
out my enemies. I left that for the Indians to do,
and for those who saw proper to imitate them.
So, at the close of the war, and in fact during its
whole continuance, I was poor, and my family were
in straitened circumstances; but I went to work
and raised a good crop of corn and everything else
that we needed. In the spring of 1866 I rented an
other place in a better locality, and farmed on a
SAMUEL S. IlILUEBRAJSB. 2S5
larger scale. This I also did on the year following,
and at the close of 1867 I had succeeded in render
ing myself and family as comfortable as could be
expected.
The negro boy I had taken from Free Jim, in St.
Francois county, still remained with me ; he was
free, I suppose, but he seemed to prefer good living
and light work to "free starvation."
ACIuBlOGUAPHY OF
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Imprisoned in Jacksonport jail. — Mrs. Kildebrand returns to
M:-:-OT:ri. — Escape from prison. — Final settlement in Ste.
Gene 'ieve county. — St. Louis detectives make their first
trip —The Governor's reward. — Wounded by Peterson. — Re
moved to his uncle's. — Fight at John Williams'. — Kills James
McLrine. — Hides in a cave.
Ear\v in the spring of 1868 I put in a good crop of
corn, and do voted much of my time to gardening;
my r>rosr>ect looked flattering indeed; and I fancied
that I vv-as getting along as well as any of rny neigh
bors, and better than most of them. My negro man
worked cheerfully, and I put in much of my time in
u overseeing." I claim that I was the last slave
holder in the United States.
,\ circumstance now took place that destroyed
mv future prospect, and cast a shadow over the
happiness of my family. It is a circumstance that
I deeply deplore, and one, too, that I cou-d easily
have avoided, at the expense, perhaps, of losing one
friend.
Early in the month of April one of my old war
associates, with whom I had passed many a hardship,
came to my house and stated that he had received
bad news from home; that his sister had been de
serted by her husband without any cause, and that
the fellow had taken up with a negro woman, and
was living with her not more than ten miles off.
SAMUEL S. IIILDEBRASD. 2$1
He requested that I should aid him in taKjng the
couple out and giving them a good flogging.
The matter was talked over, and one of us might
have made the remark that they deserved to be tied
together. This conversation was heard by the wife
of my friend; two or three days after which the
guilty pair were taken from a mill pond, drowned,
and still tied together. After the first excitement
was over, nothing more was heard about the matter
for nearly six weeks. My friend's wife told all about
the conversation, and suspicion rested upon us.
Finally Major Surge, with three men, arrested us,
and took us before the authorities ; the preliminary
examination was had, and we were both lodged in
the jail at Jacksonport.
We were secured by handcuffs and by ball and
chain. In this condition it soon became apparent
to us that our escape was impossible. Negroes fre
quently passed our prison, and told us that we
would be hung by a mob.
We were loaded with chains, and so strongly
guarded that I began to doubt the ability of our
friends to release us, even if they should attempt it;
in fact I began very strongly to doubt the proba
bility of their ever coming at all.
In June, my brother William, who had served
during the war in the Union army, came down to
Arkansas, where my family was, for the purpose of
taking them back to Big river, in Missouri; for t=ie
probabilities were that my wife would soon be left
a widow. She sold the crop as it stood on the
288 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
ground for what she could get, and hired a teamster
to haul the family to Big river.
She made the trip in safety; arriving at the old
homestead, she lived with my mother and brother
William. My prison life every day became more
intolerable, I had been in jail for four months, and
had almost abandoned all hopes of being released.
On the last day of August, as I lay brooding over
my helpless condition, some one, about dark, whis
pered in through the grates, telling me to be of
good cheer, for that on the following night his
friends were going to make an attempt to release
me.
Fortunately for us, as our friends lay in wait on
the next night, a boat landed at the wharf, which
attracted the attention of all those who were yet
up, and we were let out without any disturbance
whatever.
I was so overjoyed at the idea of being free once
more, that I leaped off the platform in the dark and
sprained my ankle. I was in a bad fix for traveling,
but we were soon out of danger. I rode until daylight;
then we all scattered, and each one took his own
course. I hobbled on in this way, living on nothing
but May-apples until I made about thirty-five miles,
to the house of an old friend, where I remained
until I recruited up, and then I started to where my
family was, in Missouri. I found them at my
mother's residence, on Big river; but after remain
ing a few weeks, finding that my presence was any
thing but pleasing to my old enemies i removed to
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 289
Illinois and settled on the Mississippi, about forty
miles below St. Louis. Here I went to chopping
cord wood for a livelihood, not intending to molest
any one, as the war was over, and fully determined
to withhold my hand from the commission of any
act that would indicate anything else than that I
was a peaceable and law-abiding citizen.
In January, 1869, 1 moved across the river on to
the Missouri side, at a place called Rush Tower, and
continued cutting wood until the first of April, at
which time I rented a small farm of Samuel B. Her-
rod, on the Three Rivers, in Ste. Genevieve county,
near the county line of St. Francois, and about four
miles from Big River Mills. To this place I moved
my family. My oldest boy was twelve, years old,
and on him devolved most of the labor on the farm.
My arrival seemed to create a panic among those
who had robbed me, killed my brothers, and perse
cuted my family. They still had a fear of retribu
tive justice> and though I had no such designs, they
secretly went to work to effect my destruction.
Joe McGahan, as I am informed, took several
trips to influence the Governor of Missouri to crush
me out of existence. Gov. McClurg instructed Col.
Myers, Police Commissioner of St. Louis, to send
out men for my arrest. In May, 1869, he sent Mc
Queen and Col. Bowen, who were met at Irondale
by Joe McGahan, to pilot them to the scene of
operations. On going about ten miles, however,
daylight overtook them, and McGahan, after inform
ing them that to be seen there in daylight would be
13
290 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
death to him, went on home and never returned.
At the approach of night the detectives were
obliged to proceed without a guide, on foot, and in a
strange neighborhood. After wandering around all
night, wading Big river at a deep ford, they were
obliged to pass another day in the woods. AM they
could not find my house without some further infor
mation, one of them, disguised as a rude country
man in search of employment, got all the informa
tion he wanted. It appears that those two detectives
watched around my house for eight days and nights.
Their provisions then gave out, and not being able
to get any from my enemies, they started back to
Irondale at ten o'clock at night, arid from there took
the cars for St. Louis. While this was going on I
was working at the mouth of Isle Bois on the Missis
sippi.
It appears that some time during the war Gover
nor Fletcher had offered a reward of three hundred
dollars for my capture.
This and other rewards which were offered
was the price of blood — an inducement held out for
assassination ! Men can be found, who, for a cer
tain reward, will shoot any man down whom a Gov
ernor may designate.
Thank God, I have never come to that yet! I
have killed many men, but it has always been either
in self-defense, or for the purpose of redressing some
terrible wrong.
Some persons wrote to Governor McClurg to as
certain whether the reward was still valid; on
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAXD. 291
being answered in the affirmative, they determined,
even for that paltry sum, to attempt my assassin
ation. James McLaine, as he afterwards boasted,
prowled around my house for one whole month for
that purpose.
On the night of June 6th, 1869, I ventured up to
my house at a late hour to see my family, and re
mained with them all night. In the morning I
stepped out into the yard, when I heard the report
of a gun from a cluster of hazel brush about eighty
yards off. I went into the house for my gun, and
discovered that I had been shot through the fleshy
part of my thigh.
On going out I could discover no one, the person
having left as soon as he fired, so 1 went into Mr.
Pratt's stable, a short distance off. Presently Mc
Laine passed by with his gun ; after going up to my
house, he came back and passed along the road not
far from the stable. Believing him to be the assas
sin, I would have shot him, but was prevented by
Mr. Pratt.
I was hauled to the house of William M. Highley,
who went after a physician to have my wound
Sressed. The wound proved to be a very serious
one, and disabled me for a long time in such a man
ner that I was unable to walk. I was next hauled
to Samuel Gossom's, and then to the residence of
my uncle, John Williams. As this became the scene
of a furious battle a few days afterwards, I shall be
a little minute in my description. My uncle's fam
ily consisted of himself, Aunt Mary and a grand-
292 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
daughter about six years of age. His house is
among the hills in the western part of St. Francois
county, five miles from Big River Mills, and one
mile due south from the stone house formerly occu
pied by Dick Berryman. My uncle's premises con-
jsisted of one log house, one story high, and contain-
ing but one room. In the yard, west of the house
stood an old dilapidated cabin with the chimney
torn down, near which stood the smoke-house and a
cluster of young cherry trees. Opposite the south
end of the house, at a distance of about eighty
yards, was the spring house.
I suffered much from my wound ; and as my well
known crippled condition emboldened parties after
wards to attempt my arrest, under the assumption
that I was just about dead, I attribute all my suf
ferings and privations during the three months that
followed to that attempted assassination. For many
months afterwards I believed that it was James
McLaine who did the deed, but I will here state
that the man who shot me, as I am informed, was
Cyrus A. Peterson, from Fredericktown, and that
Walter E. Evans was along with him.
Neither of those two men did I ever harm ; Petei
son I did not know, and Evans I had met a few
weeks before, and shook hands with him.
The Evans family resided on Big river, and we
were raised up within a few miles of each other.
The widow and her daughter remained at home in per
fect safety during the whole war, although the family
was known to be Union (with one or two exceptions),
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND.
and two of her boys, Ellis G. and William C Ev
were known to be two of the most urn-oni} mm
Unionists in the State. I heard Di« k Bern man
once tell his men, after calling them all up in a line,
that he would not suffer them to interfere with the
widow Evans, or with any property that she pos
sessed. This order I sanctioned, and governed my
self accordingly.
While I still lay at my uncle's, confined to my bed,
Sheriff Breckinridge and a party of about six men
concluded that they would secure the reward offered
by the Governor without any personal danger, as it
it was thought by some that I had died of my wounds.
During the night he went with his party to Mr.
Highley's, and*got near the house by keeping be
hind a gate-post. Mr. Highley was called out, and
when he assured them that I was not there they
made a valiant charge upon the h , and entered
it just as Mrs. Highley was endeavoring to put on
her dress. The gallant Breckinridge thrust his -gun
against her dress and threw it to the other side of
the room, denoting thereby that cowardice and ruf
fianism are blended together. From here they went
on the balance of the night in search of "Sam Hil-
debrand " — and they found him !
They reached Uncle William's about daylight.
Finding him at the crib they made a breastwork of
him, by making the old man walk in front, while
they marched on behind with their guns presented.
I fastened the front door and refused to open it
The back door, however, was only latched, and a
291 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
child could have opened it. I pulled a little rag
out of a crack near the jamb, and as they attempted
to pass I fired four shots at them before they fired
at all ; one tumbled up behind the ash-hopper, and
the others dashed back around the corner to the
front side of the house. They fired several shots
through the door, which struck the wall at the back
of the house a few inches over the bed where the
little girl lay. She raised a terrible yell ; Aunt
Mary ran to her, supposing that she had been shot.
" Come away with her," said I, " and both of you
stand in yon corner ; break her a piece of pie to
stop her crying, so that I can hear what is going
on." I got two more shots through the crack near
the chimney, one of which was at Noah Williams;
he got in the chimney corner, and was hunting for
a crack, but I found it first, and sent a shot after
him that raked across his breast, and tore his
clothes in such a manner that he left in disgust.
They kept firing through the door ; the beds were
literally riddled ; aunt got a shot on her chin ; a
whole volley was now fired through the door ; one
little shot struck her on the head, and five holes
were shot through her dress.
They now marched the old man in front of them to
the door; he stood with his right hand against the
door-facing, and cried out : '* Sam, open the door or
they will kill me!"
"Hold on, Uncle," I replied, "and step out of the
way."
Just then I opened the door, and crossing my
SAMUEL S. II LDEBRA:N7D. 205
arms I fired to the right and Left with my pistols.
Uncle's hand being in the way, I could only shoot
Breckinridge through the groin, and another man
through the shoulder.
Andy Bean broke to run, and jumped the fence
by a walnut tree just as a shot passed through his
fiery red whiskers, grazing his face sufficiently to
saturate them, and to make him believe that they
were one huge stream of blood. The whole party
now broke, and on leaping the fence fired off their
guns, some of their shots piercing the door, one
passed through my uncle's wrist, some struck the
house, and some missed creation.
The man wounded in the shoulder was taken to
the spring to have water poured on his wound,
Breckinridge to Frank Simms to have his life writ
ten, and Andy Bean to Irondale to have the arteries
of his whiskers taken up. Aunt Mary now brought
me a bucket of water and left, after telling me that
there were provisions enough in the house to last a
week.
Telegraphic dispatches were sent to St. Louis,
Potosi and Farmington for more men. James Mc-
Laine and Dennis O'Leary came from Farmington,
and Captain Todd Hunter with eight or ten men
came from Potosi and Irondale, and, from a hill two
hundred yards off, kept up an occasional fire at the
house during the balance of the day. The party
behind the spring house were compelled to remain
there on account of my shots; they, however, kept
up a random fire, to show to their anxious compan-
296 AUTOBIOGKAPiJY OP
ions that they were not yet dead. They once held
a hat around the corner of the spring house, and
instantly got a hole shot through it.
While the firing still continued, I tried my hand
at cooking my dinner. After eating a hearty meal
and resting myself a little, I went on duty again.
About sunset McLaine climbed upon the old
cabin near the house, but as there were three walls
between us, the cracks did not range right for me to
shoot him. After he had kindled a fire on the roof
he came down and stood near the door on the far
side of the cabin. I got a glimpse of his body, and
by a lucky chance I shot him dead.
This created such an excitement that, as they
crowded around his body, which they carried a short
distance, I opened the back door, and unperceived
by any of them, crawled out through the weeds and
through the fence. Here I had to leave my gun, as
I could not carry it, for I could not walk a step on
account of my wounded leg. I crawled through the
woods about two miles, for darkness now favored
my escape, and arriving at the house of a friend, I
obtained a horse and rode to my sister's (Mrs.
Adams), living near the old homestead of the Hilde-
brand family.
It was necessary that I should keep in a cool
place on account of my wound, so I went into my
cave in the Big river bluff, half a mile north from
the residence of G. W. Murphy, and near the Pike
Run hills, where I remained some time, my provis
ions being brought to me every day by my sister.
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 29)
My wife and children still remained on the Herrod
place, where they were watched so closely that
they could not come to my assistance
300 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
CHAPTER XXXVII.
Military operations for his capture. — Col. Bowen captures the
Cave. — Progress of the campaign. — Advent of Gov. McClurg.
— The militia called out. — Don Quixote affair at the Brick
Church. — The campaign ended. — Mrs Hildebrand escapes to
Illinois. — "Sam" leaves Missouri. — His final proclamation.
My narrative would not be complete without a
history of the military operations carried on .by au
thority of the State government for my capture or
destruction ; yet I must depend almost exclusively
upon what my friends told me from time to time as
those events were transpiring.
A few days after the fight at Williams', a detective
with a dirty face and hair uncombed; riding an old
mule, with a pack saddle and blind bridle, went to
Big River Mills, and inquired of Dr. Keith and
Samuel B. Herrod where " Sam Hildebrand " was,
as he was an old "war chum " whom he wanted to
assist. His ragged coat and old hat condemned him
at once as a detective, for we were in the habit of
dressing well during the war, as our credit was al
ways good while we were well armed. He failed to
elicit any information from them ; in fact at this
time I was nursing my wounds in the cave, and the
dismal scene of my suffering was only visited by
that angel of mercy, a kind sister.
It appears that the Police Commissioner of St.
SAMUEL S. HILPEBRAND. 80l
Louis sent Col. Bowen, McQueen, Schuster and
Wadkins on a second expedition against me. They
were joined at Irondale by Hughes, King, Fatchet
and Zoleman ; and on Big river by Joe McGahan
and Dennis O'Leary.
Col. Bowen, with his men, went to the house of
my sister on the 21st day of June, just before day
light, and questioned her about where I was. My
sister of course refused to answer any of their ques
tions, but on threatening to hang two of her young
est boys, one of them divulged all that he knew.
On the evening of the 22d the party arrested
William Harris, my brother-in-law, also Mr. Cash
and Mr. Dunham, and hung them up by the neck
until they extorted from them the fact that I lived
in a cave in a certain bluff which they described.
This bluff rises perpendicularly nearly three hun
dred feet above the waters of Big river, which runs
at its base. A skirt of high timber on the margin
of the river in a great measure hides the bold front
of this towering mass of rock from view.
The cave can be seen neither from the top nor
bottom, for it is about two hundred feet from the
bottom, and is hid by a projecting rock in front.
From the cave in one direction along the seam in
the rock there is a narrow and very difficult cause
way running several hundred yards where it can be
approached from above and below. This narrow
turnpike can easily be defended by one man against
five hundred. I regret that I was not in my castle
when Col. Bowen and his posse were prowling
302 AUTOBIOGRAPHY Of1
around in front of the cave on the morning of the
23d, I would have had more fun than I did at Wil
liams' house, where they had so much the advantage
of me,
I retired from the cave during the night, and was
absent when the party came to see my castle. They
remained near the cave all day, but did not think it
prudent to peep in to see whether I was at home or
not. On the following night they built a large fire
on the projection in front of the cavern, and kept it
supplied with wood which they threw from the top
of the bluff.
On the next morning they learned from Mr. Nash,
whom they hung by the neck awhile, that I was nob
in the cave.
On receiving this welcome information the party
scaled the bluff and took the whole place by storm.
The next move to capture me was through a confes
sion made by a son of Mr. Nash, that he was to
meet me at a certain point at night with a quart of
whisky.
Col. Bowen determined to capture me and the
"quart" so he and his party reconnoitered the place
for several hours, but I kept two hundreds yards from
them. They were welcome to the whisky, for I con
sidered it my treat; and after taking a hearty drink
from the branch I went away perfectly satisfied.
After the capture of my cave. Col. Bowen made
his headquarters at G. W. Murphy's. There of course
he lived well ; the boys were all happy, drawing
good wages and incurring no danger, for I solemnly
SAMUEL S. 111LDEBKAND. 305
promised my friends that I would not kill a single
one of them unless they should indeed discover me.
The first time I saw Col. Bowen after his removal to
Murphy's was three or four days after he had cap
tured the bluff. I was aiming to cross the road two
or three hundred yards east of Murphy's house,
when on- getting in a small glade fifteen steps from
the road I heard horses' feet coming from the direc
tion of Big River Mills. I stood behind a cedar
bush with a cocked pistol in each hand. Col. Bowen
rode by me with two of his men, but none of them
turned their heads, and I moved around the bush as
they passod.
I did not wish to hurt them ; I had a high regard
for the Colonel, and respected him for his magnan
imity in not burning my cave after he had captured
it, for I mtisf say that he was the first man who ever
drove me out of a place without setting it on fire.
A few days after this I concluded to hobble over
to where my family was, for the purpose of paying
them a short visit ; but on passing through a wheat
field I was discovered by a certain man who re
ported me. Col. Bowen took a squad of men to
watch around my house at night. Before arriving
there it was dark and raining; and as I heard the
tramp of their horses I stepped out of the road un
til they had passed. I followed them on until they
got near the house and commenced placing out their
pickets.
After the campaign had continued several weeks,
it became apparent that the forces already in the
306 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
field were insufficient for my capture ; the disloyalty
of the people of St. Francois county had been greatly
magnified. Certain evil men in the neighborhood
desired nothing so much as a pretext for martial
law ; some of them had rioted in murder and pillage
during the war, and they knew that in all civil com
motions the dregs arise to the top.
Governor McClurg is a good man ; I can say that
much for him, but in the goodness of his nature he
is slow in detecting the evil designs of some of
his party friends who live in the under current
of cunning rascality. To show the tardiness and
disloyalty of the civil authorities in St. Francois
county, Sheriff Murphy was ordered, just as the
farmers had whetted their scythes and were prepar
ing to enter their harvest fields, to call out the
militia throughout the county to aid in scouring the
woods. To the mortification of the plotters, he re
sponded and the people turned out.
Then the report was started that I was concealed
in a deep mineral shaft among the Pike Kun Hills.
Murphy and his party scrambled over that terribLe
country until every snake was crushed by their
feet.
This severe ordeal continued for two or three
weeks until fortunately the Governor made his ad
vent on Big river, and was welcomely received by
all parties. To my regret I was out of the ring ;
however, I was anxious to see Governor McClurg,
for I had never yet seen a Governor; and having
been informed by my friends that he would make a
SAMUEL S. HJLDEBKAND. 307
speech in Farmington on the following day, I posted
myself in the corner of a fence at the end of a lane
on the Green place about five miles from Farming-
ton and watched for him to come along, knowing
that he would pass on that road.
I did not intend to molest him, or even to speak
an unkind word; but I was anxious that he might
be alone so that I could step out, shake him by the
hand, give him a drink out of my bottle, and have a
social chat.
When he passed me he was riding by the side of
a Methodist preacher from Caledonia, named Wil
liams ; he was followed by a train of about forty
men, the saints being in front and the sinners in the
rear. Not liking the rear-guard very well, I did not
join in the procession, but retired further back in
the woods.
Under the impression that the Governor would
deliver a speech at the court house that night, I con
cluded that I would go and hear what he had to say
about me. After dark I made my way to town and
%creted myself opposite the court house door
among some goods boxes near Fleming's store.
I saw no indications, however, of a public meet
ing; I made a motion to adjourn, which was sec
onded by a large woolly dog that found me occupy
ing his sleeping apartment.
I ascertained afterwards that McClurg did make a
speech during the day, and that it was anything but
flattering to me. To avoid the necessity of a resort
to martial law, the citizens were verv clamorous in
308 ALTOBIOGRAPHY OF
their protestations of holy horror at the very name
of Hildebrand. They passed a long string of reso
lutions; the first declaring that "Sain Hilderbrand
ought to be arrested;" the second that "it would be
proper to arrest Sam Hilderbrand;" the third "that
to arrest Sam Hilderbrand would be a good idea ;"
the other sixteen resolutions not differing materially
from the first three, I need not repeat.
The resolutions being read to me a few days after
wards, I fully sanctioned them, and cruised around
several days myself, in search of deperadoes.
Governor McClurg appointed six deputy sheriffs
for St. Francois county; their number was after
wards increased to ten, each one of whom were al
lowed a posse of ten men, by which arrangement one
hundred men would be in active service.
In order to create the impression that he was per
forming some prodigious deeds of valor, Col. Bowen
pretended to have fought a terrible battle single
handed with "Sam Hildebrand and his men" at the
Brick Church on Big river.
I have heard the battle at the Brick Church fr^
quently mentioned, and I have a word to say in re
gard to that matter. I was not there myself, neither
was any of my friends at the time the firing took
place.
The whole tragedy was concocted by the cunning
of Col. Bowen himself, in order to cut a figure and
stamp himself a hero.
I could easily have killed him at any ime prev
ious to this, but as he had done me no harm, and was
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 309
not likely to do any, I took the advice of my friends
and let him peaceably pursue his brilliant cam
paigns for the sake of eclipsing the renown of Don
Quixote.
It seems that two of his men had stationed them
selves in the brush near the Brick Church by the
road leading from his headquarters at G. W. Mur
phy's to Big Kiver Mills. On a certain evening be
tween sunset and dark, when Sheriff Murphy and
himself were riding by the church on their way
from Big River Mills, those two men in ambush fired
off their guns. The valiant Colonel drew out his
pistol and commenced firing; but to prevent the
sheriff from taking a pop at the two men, he cried
out to him to dash on to Big River Mills for more
men, which he did and soon returned.
The Colonel remained on the ground and was
master of the field, but his horse was slightly
wounded by a shot nearly perpendicular, which
might have been made by himself. The horse, how
ever, not understanding the matter thoroughly,
threw his master high in the air; but luckily the
Colonel came down head foremost, and striking on a
rock he received no injury except a ringing in his
head like the rattling of a cow-bell.
He dispatched one of his men to Irondale to tele
graph to the authorities at St. Louis the astounding
intelligence that at the Brick Church, Col. Bowen
had encountered the irrepressible "Sam Hildebrand"
and his band of out-laws ; that his horse had been
shot from under him, but that single-handed he had
310 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
driven the enemy from the field, and only received
a slight wound. This Don Quixote campaign against
me terminated in a spree, and the Colonel returned
to St. Louis.
Previous to this, however, by Col. Bowen's orders,
my wife and children were removed, first to Iron-
dale and then to Farmington ; they remained at the
latter place under the supervision of the sheriff for
a month. They were kindly treated, but my wife
was anxious to escape from the ceaseless annoyance
of Bowen's military operations.
On a certain night a friend of mine from Illinois,
named Crittenden, proceeded into Farmington with
a light wagon, and before the break of day my wife
and family were in -Ste. Genevieve county, on their
way to Illinois. They stopped for breakfast at a
house by the roadside, and by a strange coincidence
it proved to be the house of the late James Mc-
Laine. The widow, not knowing the party, made
them very welcome, and in apologizing for her
straitened circumstances, observed: UI am now left
a destitute widow, and all these poor little children
of mine are left orphans, by the hand of Sam Hilde-
brand."
Mrs. McLaine's father, George Shumate was pres
ent, and while the good woman was preparing
breakfast, he addressed himself to Crittenden, and
gave a terrible account of my desperate deeds.
After breakfast the party arose to continue their
journey; the widow would have nothing for her
SAMUEL S. HILDEBRAND. 311
trouble. My wife, taking Mrs. McLaine kindly by
the hand, said :
" Mrs. McLaine, I am sorry for you— truly sorry
for you and your dear little children ; sorry for the
many hardships you have had to encounter. I
know how to sympathize with you, for I am a widow
myself."
44 You a widow?"
" Yes, Mrs. McLaine ; I am worse than a widow —
I am the wife of Sam Hildebrand ! "
The good woman stood amazed and said nothing;
but the look that Mr. Shumate gave Crittenden was
truly comical : he drew up his neck, threw his head
a little back, and exclaimed :
-" Well— my— God ! and you are not Sam Hilde
brand — are you ? "
"Oh, no sir! I am not; but his wife here is my
cousin."
They continued on to Illinois, and as soon as all
military operations against me in Missouri had sub
sided, I left the State; and since that time I have
been wandering through the Southern States as a
peaceable citizen.
The Governor's reward against me, of course, is
still unrepealed ; and I hope that it will be chiseled
into one of the pillars of the State Capitol, that it
may be handed down to posterity in the same cate
gory with two rewards offered during the last gene
ration — one for a feasible northwest passage, and
the other for the invention of perpetual motion.
Let the legend pass down the corridors of time to
312 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
the latest generation, that the strange flickering
light sometimes seen at night in the dreary low
lands of the South is none other than " Jack with
his lantern" trying to get the reward by finding
Sam Hildebrand.
If the strange hallucination should ever enter the
mind of a man that I could be captured, let him
immediately send for a physician, have his head
emptied and filled up with clabber to give him a
better set of brains.
All fighting between "Uncle Sam" and myself
has ceased long ago. He came out of the war un-
conquered — and so did I.
It will be a long time, however, before he gets
entirely over the effects of our fight. I am h^le,
and have the free use of my limbs; but his southern
arm is paralyzed, he is terribly in debt, can only
see out of one eye, and his constitution is broken;
he has the KuKlux nightmare, the Salt Lake cancer;
the African leprosy, the Fenian rickets, the bond
holder's cramp, and the Congressional blind stag
gers. The war left me out of debt; with a good
horse, and forty dollars in cash.
As several proclamations have been issued against
me, without ever eliciting one in return, I shall now
swing my hat and proclaim :
" Peace and good will to all men ; a general am
nesty toward the United States, and to 'Uncle Sam'
— so long as the said Uncle Sam shall behave him
self."
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